Robert G Lockyear

Heaven welcomed Robert "Bob"Gordon Lockyear on Friday, Jan. 4, 2013, at La Posada, Mesilla Valley Hospice, Las Cruces, N.M. Bob was born Oct. 21, 1946, and raised in Colorado Springs, Colo. He was 66 years old. Bob served in the Army during the Vietnam War and was stationed in Alaska. He received an Associate's degree from Southern Colorado State College, Pueblo, in 1967 and a Bachelor's in Electronics Engineering with honors from New Mexico State University in 1974. Bob met his wife, Priscilla Black, at NMSU where they were both active in the Navigators, a campus Christian organization. They married Oct. 17, 1976, in Las Cruces. Employed at White Sands Missile Range, Bob was a talented electronic design engineer who developed the first production video tracker for test range use at U.S. test ranges. This milestone paved the way for enhanced optical data collection at White Sands and other Department of Defense test ranges in the U.S. and abroad. Bob presented a technical paper on his work at the Army Science Conference at West Point, worked with other U.S. test ranges and traveled to Israel in support of the Israeli government test ranges. As recognition for this accomplishment, he was also invited to present his research at a symposium in Paris, France which he declined due to national security concerns. He was an active member of the International Test & Evaluation Association. Bob was employed at WSMR from 1972 until his retirement Jan. 3, 2009, with 40 years of federal service. Bob actively worked with the disabled. He was appointed to serve on the Program for Individuals with Disabilities Committee at WSMR and received the Commander's Award for his dedication to the program. He learned sign language and volunteered with the Deaf Ministry at Calvary Baptist Church, Las Cruces. Bob earned a realtor's license and an amateur radio operator license. His call sign was N5BVT. He enjoyed visiting historic Civil War battlefields, especially Gettysburg. He presented a seminar about small arms used during the Civil War at Fort Belvoir, Virginia. He enjoyed studying World War II, the establishment of the state of Israel, Biblical archaeology and church history. He also enjoyed hiking and in high school hiked some of the 14,000 foot peaks in the Rockies. Bob loved his church and was a deacon at Calvary Baptist. He was a member of the Gideons and participated in the Kairos Prison Ministry at Mesilla Park Community Church where he was a member. He was a devoted family man and was very close to his wife, children and pets. He loved animals and especially his pugs. Bob was preceded in death by his grandparents and parents, Gordon and Elizabeth (Jorden) Lockyear of Colorado Springs. Bob's maternal grandparents immigrated to the United States from England as Methodist missionaries in 1911. Survivors include his wife of 36 years, Priscilla; two daughters, Elizabeth of Albuquerque N.M., and Sarah, of Las Cruces; sister Judith and husband Mike Gonzales of Watsonville, Calif.; and numerous cousins. Visitation will be at Getz Funeral Home, 1410 E. Bowman Ave., Las Cruces, Wed., Jan. 9, 2013, 6 to 8 pm. A memorial service will be held at Mesilla Park Community Church, 3100 Oak St., Las Cruces, at 2 pm, Thurs., Jan. 10, 2013. Bob will be interred in Colorado Springs with a memorial service Sat., Jan. 12, 2013, at 2 pm at Grace Presbyterian Church, 2511 N. Logan Ave. Graveside services will be at Evergreen Cemetery, 1005 Hancock, Mon., Jan. 14, 2013, at 11 am. Memorial contributions may be made to Mesilla Valley Hospice (https://donate.mvhospice.org/); Mesilla Park Community Church (http://www.getrealchurch.org/give-online); or Safe Haven Animal Sanctuary (http://www.safehavenanimalsanctuary.net/). PDF Printable Version