Robert H. Midkiff

Bob was born in Midland, Texas on June 10, 1936, to Herd and Julia Midkiff who were both from pioneer Midland ranching families, their parents having settled in Midland County in the 1890s.

He graduated from Midland High School and attended Sul Ross State College. After leaving college to care for his ailing father, Bob and his brother, John, formed a partnership where together they operated the family ranch and farm. They also started and ran a cattle feed lot together.

In 1959 Bob met the love of his life, Alice Antoinette “Toni” Akers, when they were introduced by mutual friends. They were married three years later on July 14, 1962, in the First Presbyterian Church in Brownfield, Texas. They settled in Midland, Texas where they had two children.

In 1968 Bob became the agency manager for Farm Bureau Insurance in Midland County and in 1981 he and his sister, Julia Edith Drake, formed an insurance agency in Midland. For many years Bob and Toni hosted the Midland Independent Insurance Agents’ annual barbeque and dance at their ranch. It was always a highlight for Bob to host the party.

After twenty-five years in the insurance business, Bob sold the agency went back full-time to his first love, ranching.

After their children went to college and Bob and Toni had more time on their hands, they began their hobby of taking extended road trips. Bob loved “seeing the country” and always thought something was lost when you traveled on an airplane. For Bob the journey was as important as the destination.

Bob and Toni always wanted to travel Texas so they decided to visit all 254 courthouses in the state. After dutifully documenting their courthouse visits with pictures, they next set their sights on visiting every state in the union that could be reached by car, and on May 2009 they completed this goal when they arrived in Alaska after many a hard-earned mile.

Bob loved Midland and felt a special kinship with the land and the community. He served as a Deacon in the First Presbyterian Church, delivered Meals on Wheels for several years, and served on the Boards of the Midland County Livestock Show and the Midland Soil and Water Conservation District.

In 1985 Bob participated in the Midland Centennial parade through downtown Midland by driving a wagon with his beloved team of horses, Gina and Clipper. The next year he participated in the Texas Sesquicentennial wagon train parade and he drove his restored buggy from Odessa to the Scharbauer ranch north of Midland over the course of two days.

In recent years Bob was an active supporter of the annual Hunt For Heroes banquet that supports wounded military veterans, and on most mornings Bob could be found having coffee at the Petroleum Club of Midland where he and his friends held court on the day’s events.

One of Bob’s final acts of service was in January 2019 when he and his wife endowed a scholarship at Texas Christian University that will benefit students enrolled in the TCU Ranch Management program.

Bob personified the pioneer families who settled in the Permian Basin with his quiet manner, his penchant for hard work, his fair treatment of others, and his love of God and family.

Bob was preceded in death by his father Herd Midkiff, mother Julia Evelyn Potter, and daughter in-law, Shannon Anderson Midkiff.

Bob is survived by his wife, Toni Akers Midkiff; daughter, Kris Stephens, her husband, Randy and their son, Robert; son, Herd Midkiff, his wife Claire, and their daughter, Caroline; brother, John Midkiff, his wife Mary Lou Midkiff; sister, Julia Edith Drake and many nieces, nephews and cousins.

A memorial service will be held on Thursday, January 31, 2019, at the First Presbyterian Church in Midland at 1:00pm. In lieu of flowers the family asks that donations be made to the Haley Memorial Library & History Center or the First Presbyterian Church in Midland.