Reverend Robert L. Bratcher, Sr. entered his heavenly home on Tuesday, January 10, 2023, surrounded by his family.  Born in Lubbock, Texas, to Mr. and Mrs. Alexander Bratcher as the youngest of eight children, Bob came to know the essence of family and Godly faith.  Upon graduating from Lubbock High School in 1950, he attended Wayland Baptist University to pursue his call into the ministry.  Bob married the love of his life, Carolyn McAdams, in August of 1954 and was her faithful companion for sixty-eight years.  Together they had four children whom he dearly loved and taught the meaning of Godly faith and service.

His lifetime of ministry began as a sixteen-year-old preaching in rural churches around Lubbock, took him to China as a missionary preacher, then to El Paso, Texas where he started and served at Mountain View Baptist Church for sixteen years.  God's call on his life brought him to Odessa in 1970 to Crescent Park Baptist Church where he served faithfully until his retirement in 1996.  Having made Odessa his home, his love for its people and his pastoral heart led him to start Mission Dorado Baptist Church where he served as senior pastor and pastor emeritus until his death.  All in all, he was the shepherd of three spiritual flocks for sixty-eight years.  Outside of his ministry as "Brother Bob", he invested himself in his family and his animals.

Bob is survived by his wife Carolyn McAdams Bratcher; daughter Rebecca Sutton and husband Robert E. Sutton Jr.; son Robert L. Bratcher Jr. and wife Julie Bratcher; daughter Regina George and husband Mitchell George; daughter Ramona Griffin and husband Michael Griffin; twenty grandchildren, thirteen great grandchildren and a host of brothers and sisters in Christ.

Visitation will be Friday, January 13th at Mission Dorado Baptist Church from 6:00 to 8:00 pm with funeral services on Saturday, January 14th at 9:30 am at Mission Dorado.  Interment will be in Plainview, Texas at 4:00 pm on Saturday.  In lieu of flowers, the family asks that donations be made to Mission Dorado Baptist Church. We would like to express our appreciation to Monty Howard of Bailey Howard Funeral Home in Clyde, Texas, for his loving care of our "Grandbob" in our time of need.