As Flower Mound citizens and friends remember one of the Town’s great leaders, they celebrate the impact that Bob Rheudasil’s love of natural beauty will have on the community’s future.
On July 4, 1953, Rheudasil, who had grown up on a family farm near Paris, Texas, stepped off a bus in Lewisville, not knowing a soul. Over the next 58 years, he made a lot of friends among common folk and the famous, becoming a leader who helped shape the physical beauty and development of Flower Mound. Rheudasil, an expert in prairie grasses and cattle breeding, was brought to Lewisville by Edward S. Marcus, owner of Black Mark Farm to oversee development of a prizewinning herd of Aberdeen Angus cattle. Marcus, a man whose vision would shape the community that would become Flower Mound, was son of Herbert Marcus, a founder of Neiman Marcus, and brother to Stanley Marcus, one of America’s most upscale retailers. Rheudasil soon learned he was in for some adventure. After interviewing the young man, Marcus took him to Neiman Marcus to be fitted for a sports coat before taking him to lunch at the Zodiac Room in Dallas. Marcus also took him to a physician for a full examination before hiring him. According to June Rheudasil Vest, his sister, Bob moved to Flower Mound after the interview in his red flatbed truck. All his worldly possessions were in a footlocker strapped to the bed of the truck.
While Rheudasil is remembered as the first mayor of Flower Mound and a leader in efforts to prevent annexation of this area by the City of Irving, friends and family speak of him as a man of the land, raising trees and livestock. His proudest accomplishments centered on family. Booker Rheudasil, his youngest son described an idyllic childhood, growing up on a 4,000 acre ranch with a father who while loving, knew how to instill discipline to the point he and siblings knew to do the right things because there seemed no reasonable alternatives. Now 51, Booker marvels at the impact his father had before retiring from work after a devastating stroke at age 53.
Marcus had parties and events on his ranch that attracted the rich and famous. In an interview published in the Flower Mound Messenger in 2004, Rheudasil recalled a visit to Flower Mound by Lady Bird Johnson, the influential former First Lady, who was just beginning wildflower preservation and beautification efforts with which her name has become synonymous. He recalls driving Johnson and Marcus around the property in a Jeep station wagon, a secret service agent in the back seat. “I never spent a more enjoyable afternoon in my life,” Rheudasil recalled. During the drive they came across a wildflower with which Johnson was unfamiliar. Rheudasil followed up, finding the name of the plant and reporting it by mail. In return, he received a long letter from Johnson, which he treasured throughout his life.
When Rheudasil arrived in Flower Mound, Black Mark Farm was just a few hundred acres with a fine herd of about 50 Black Angus. Daughter Penny Glover recalls that Marcus trusted Rheudasil implicitly and eventually Bob managed all of Marcus’ growing interests in Denton County which soon included 4,000 acres, a tree farm and a herd of 1,000 well-bred cattle.
Eventually, Black Mark Farm ranged from FM 3040 north to the area where Texas Health Resources Presbyterian Hospital Flower Mound stands and where the Riverwalk is currently under development. “The ranch had its own air field near where Kohl’s is today and the Green Berets would practice maneuvers at this landing strip,” Penny told The News Connection. Overseeing ranch operations, Rheudasil built many stock tanks, including the ones on the Riverwalk property and one at Rheudasil Park. “Rheudasil Pond was built during a drought because Bob discovered a natural spring there,” son-in-law Mark Glover said. “It was a special place for him.”
Bob’s expertise as a judge of livestock not only helped build Black Mark Farm’s excellent herd, it helped build its reputation. When major livestock shows sought Rheudasil as a judge, Marcus didn’t mind at all. A quick study, Rheudasil later became expert in tree farming, propagating and growing trees that still thrive in churchyards and neighborhoods across Flower Mound. The farm supplied thousands of trees to the Houston area. Neiman Marcus sold trees through its famous catalog. Buying live oaks from across the south and Red Oaks in Northern States, Rheudasil supervised the shipping of trees that went around the world.
Neiman Marcus promoted Black Mark Farm and had several Neiman Marcus Fortnight Parties in Flower Mound. Famous movie stars, foreign dignitaries, politicians, and professional athletes visited Flower Mound in those days. Coco Chanel, Florence Henderson, Dale Robertson, John Wayne, and Lady Bird Johnson were just a few. Bobby Goodyear (Goodyear tires) JC Penney and other well-known business leaders partnered on some of the cattle syndications, family members recall. Cotton Davidson, Byron Nelson, and EJ Holub were all close friends of Rheudasil.
Rheudasil and Marcus were both visionaries and saw Flower Mound as a very special town. They preserved trees, planted trees, lobbied for new roads, and gave land for schools – Marcus High School being one. Bob spent three terms as mayor and invested a lot of time getting water infrastructure and road dedication. Pat Rheudasil, his wife, served as Town Secretary and Rheudasil always said she was the hardest working employee the Town had. Pat was often the first person that new residents met in Flower Mound, when they came to get a water meter.
“I remember that phone call in the middle of the night in 1984 when Bob had his stroke and aneurism”, said Mark Glover. “He was not supposed to live through the night, and then the week. He was in a coma for six weeks or so and then they said he would be a vegetable. When he woke up, they said he would not walk or talk. God had other plans for him, he made a miraculous recovery, and he was a blessing to so many after his stroke.”
“Bob had a gift for making people feel important,” Glover told The News Connection. Grateful for the efforts of the physical therapist that helped him slowly regain abilities, Rheudasil in turn, encouraged his helper. After his funeral, Penny said she heard from a therapist who said that Rheudasil would regularly make contact with her. His praise and support made a big difference in her decision to stay in the medical field and remain motivated to help others.
For years after his stroke, Bob walked the halls of the Lewisville Hospital on a daily basis. He had two purposes; to strengthen himself, and to strengthen others. “He encouraged untold numbers of others with the story of his recovery and that if he could do it, so could they,” Glover said.
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