Robert L. "Bob" Compere, Jr. (Lebanon)'s Obituary
Robert “Bob” Lee Compere, Jr., born on August 16, 1930, in Harperville, Mississippi, to Robert Lee Compere, and Ruby Dale Cooper Compere, the second of seven children. Bob (better known as Bobby Lee when growing up) was 94 years old, just nine days shy of his 95th birthday. He died on August 7, 2025, in Lebanon, Missouri.
Growing up in Florence, Mississippi, during the Great Depression, Bob learned to be frugal and content while working hard on his family’s dairy farm. He remembered not being able to get a 5-cent soda pop like all of the other kids because his dad said they had to save their money, but he also remembered never feeling like his family was poor. They learned to be thankful for everything they had and to value faith and education: they went to church as a family every Sunday, and each and every sibling went to college.
Bob graduated from Florence High School at the age of 16 and attended Mississippi College. After graduating in 1951 with a Bachelor’s degree in history, Bob was ordained in June and enrolled in Southwestern Baptist Theological Seminary in Fort Worth, Texas, where he finished his formal education with a Bachelor’s degree in Divinity and a Master’s degree in Theology.
Throughout his college and graduate-level studies, Bob pursued opportunities to obey God and love people. While in college, Bob preached his first sermon in jail, while helping a friend with a local jail ministry. While in seminary, Bob took his preaching to the streets of Fort Worth, going into the city on Friday nights with some fellow students and holding street services. He also started pastoring two different churches in Oklahoma, first in Milo and then in Lane, during this time. He didn’t have a car, so every weekend, he either got a ride with friends or hitchhiked his way to the churches.
Once he graduated, Bob continued answering God’s call as a pastor and served the Lord for over 50 years, first accepting a call to pastor Woodlawn Baptist Church in Vicksburg, Mississippi from 1957 to 1961 and then going to Calvary Baptist Church in Ogden, Utah, where he pastored for six years.
It was during this time that friends introduced Bob to a young lady, Patty Jean Wiman, from West Texas. He wrote her a letter in April of 1963 that initiated an 8-month courtship characterized by more letters than in-person visits. They married on December 27, 1963, Snyder, Texas, sharing 61.5 years together and raising four children: John, Barbara, Joy, and Robert.
Bob moved his family to Missouri in 1967, where he remained the rest of his life. He pastored Plaza Heights Baptist Church in Blue Springs for 9 years, Armour Heights in Kansas City for 6 years, and First Baptist Church in Shelbina for 17 years. He retired for the first time when he was 70 and moved to Lebanon, Missouri, but God led him to pastor Lynchburg Baptist Church for three years before he retired again. Following retirement, Bob continued preaching on an as-needed basis in local churches. Over the years, Bob visited hundreds of people in the hospital and made hundreds of home visits, often driving long distances. He wanted people to know that he cared, always sharing the love of Christ and the hope of the gospel.
Bob loved his family immensely and always looked for ways to have fun. He loved playing games with them when they were little, building a tree house for them, and turning church mission trips out west into extended family vacation camping trips. When the car rides stretched on for miles, he would start telling stories, mainly about animals or his childhood. Regardless of the subject, his stories made those trips shorter for everyone.
After grandkids started coming along, he loved them just as strongly as he loved his own. One thing he always wanted to communicate every time the family was together was how much God loved them and how much they all needed Him. He always shared the importance of walking in obedience to God after turning to Him in repentance.
Bob was kind and humble in all his interactions and always had time to talk to you. He loved singing the old hymns and one of his favorite Bible verses was John 3:30, “He must increase, but I must decrease.”
Bob is preceded in death by his parents, Robert and Ruby Compere; his sisters, Gwen Stewart, Alma Jo Kennedy and Jackie Green.
He is survived by his loving wife, Patty of Lebanon, Missouri; two daughters, Barbara Savell and her husband Van, Jr. of Corpus Christi, Texas, and Joy Bond of Lebanon, Missouri; two sons, John Compere and his wife Janet of Jonesboro, Arkansas and Robert Compere, III and his wife Linda Anne of Buckeye, Arizona; seventeen grandchildren, Matthew, Jonathan, Keith, Daniel, Kevin, Kendall, Sarah, Robert IV, Madeline, Mary, Hannah, Nolan, Emma, Elizabeth, Sydney, Rachel, and Quinley; six great-grandchildren, Hezekiah, Alleluiah, Judson, Lydia, Alma and Vera Jo; siblings, Arthur Compere, Ruby Jackson, and Ruben Compere; and many wonderful friends and church family.
Robert L. "Bob" Compere, Jr., age 94 of Lebanon, Missouri, passed away Thursday, August 7, 2025 in Lebanon North Nursing and Rehab.
Funeral service for Bob Compere will be Saturday, Aug. 9, 2025 at 2 p.m. at Heritage Baptist Church in Lebanon. Visitation will be Saturday from 1- 2 p.m. at the church. Burial will be Monday, Aug. 11 at 10 a.m. at Roscoe Cemetery in Roscoe, Texas.
A memorial to 2 Feet Out Ministries and donations may be left at the funeral home.
What’s your fondest memory of Robert?
What’s a lesson you learned from Robert?
Share a story where Robert's kindness touched your heart.
Describe a day with Robert you’ll never forget.
How did Robert make you smile?