Robert Pearce Colwell

Robert Pearce Colwell
April 1, 1969 - April 23, 2024

Robert Pearce Colwell, 55, of Fort Worth, Texas, Clerk of Court for the
Northern District of Texas, US Bankruptcy Courts went to be with the Lord
on Tuesday, April 23, 2024. He passed peacefully at home from heart and
blood complications resulting from a 2.5 year battle with a rare form of
small bowel cancer.
Rob was a much loved and kind soul with a servant's heart. He loved God
and his family, both given and chosen. He believed that family was his
mission in life and he fought to protect it with all his heart.
He was born on April 1, 1969 and lived in Grand Prairie, Texas for most of
his life. Yes, an April Fool's baby. That would account for his fabulous
sense of humor and wit even in the most dire of circumstances! He was
the son of Jim and Helen Colwell, transplants from Cincinnati, Ohio, who
left this world several years ago. He is survived by his wife Tina Gonzalez
Colwell, two children Emma and Pearce, brother Brad Colwell, sister
Susan Colwell Perry (husband Ted), nieces Paige Perry and Lexy Gonzalez
Carlson (husband Frankie), and nephew Colin Perry (wife Sarah). He is
also survived by his in-laws Al (Sr.) and Patricia Kopriva Gonzalez, and Al
(Jr.) and Penny Holtzclaw Gonzalez. He attended public school in Grand
Prairie including Eisenhower Elementary, Adams Middle School, and
Grand Prairie High School (Go Gophers!).
Rob also attended Friday Mountain Boys Camp for several summers
where he learned to do most outdoor sports including shooting rifles and
horseback riding. He had fond memories of the camp and often
entertained us with stories from those summers when he would be at
camp for a month at a time. Rob also enjoyed playing soccer as a
youngster and later became proficient at tennis when no school soccer
team was available. His tennis letter jacket said "The King of Swing." He
also learned to play golf from his dad and worked in his father's
warehouse many a hot summer sweeping floors until he was old enough
to drive the unconditioned delivery truck. He learned a lot of country songs
from the AM only radio. It's easy to see where his incredible work ethic
originated.

After graduating from Grand Prairie High School in 1987, Rob attended
TCU in Fort Worth, Texas and graduated in 1991 with double degrees:
BBA in Accounting and BS in Economics. He then attended SMU School
of Law in Dallas, Texas and graduated in 1994 with a JD (Juris Doctor).
After graduation he took a position as a clerk to Federal Bankruptcy Judge
Harold Abramson in Dallas, Texas. What was supposed to be a two year
clerkship stretched into several more years and after Abramson retired,
Judge Harlin "Cooter" Hale offered Rob a career law clerk position.
Rob worked closely with Judge Hale for many more years and often said
he was one of the most fun and compassionate judges he'd ever worked
with. He always looked forward to the Wichita Falls trips and trading the
city landscape for the open blue skies of West Texas. He even took the
kids once and put them in jail! Rob especially enjoyed working as an
adjunct professor at SMU School of Law for 12 years, teaching Creditors'
Rights in tandem with Judge Hale during the fall semesters. Rob loved
working with the students and continued to teach even until last fall in
2023. He was a student favorite.
Rob spent the better part of 28 years working for the Federal Bankruptcy
Courts in Dallas and eventually became the Clerk of Court for the Northern
District of Texas, a position he cherished until he took his last breath. He
loved the people he worked with and always said they were the best
people he could have hoped to work with and that every one had a sense
of justice and honesty that he did not find in the general population.
After graduating from law school, Rob married Tina Marie Gonzalez, a
fellow SMU law student he met at Oxford University during a summer
study abroad program in 1992. The wedding took place in August 1994 at
Seaton Brethren Church, just across the street from where he will be
buried in Seaton, Texas. They would have celebrated 30 years of marriage
this year. They later had two children, Emma Elizabeth Colwell (1999) and
Pearce Chadwick Colwell (2001). Rob was a hands-on father, amazing
chef, and competitive game player. He thoroughly enjoyed spending time
with his children and especially taking them on family trips and cooking for
them. He loved to travel to England, Washington DC, and Disney theme
parks and his grilled steak, hamburgers, and bundt cakes were nearly
famous.

Rob also enjoyed performing in community theatre shows with both
children for almost 10 years and was involved in every one of their many
productions all over Tarrant County in one way or another, whether
backstage, onstage, as a stage manager, or even as a board member! He
served as Board President for Artisan Center Theater in Hurst, Texas for
several years and oversaw their expansion project that involved building a
new children's theatre next to the existing main stage. He also could be
seen serving popcorn at the concession stand or giving the curtain speech
before a performance. He loved being on stage with his children ("Annie"
and "Oliver" were his favorites) and also watching television and movies
with them. Whether he was watching Food Network or Survivor with
Emma, or playing Lego Indiana Jones video games and watching Lord of
the Rings with Pearce, his unmistakable laugh resonated throughout the
house!
Rob's life changed dramatically after his diagnosis of a malignant small
bowel blockage in January of 2022. The amount of pain and suffering that
he endured the final two years cannot be described. Yet he never stopped
being optimistic despite his many hospitalizations and dark nights of the
soul. He never lost his faith and was never angry at God. The incredible
outpouring of support and prayers of family and friends, church members,
and kind souls carried him through his final journey that led to his passing
from this place. The people at The Hills Church - West Fort Worth showed
him immeasurable love and kindness and that the body of Christ is real.
Rob's final trip to Disney was April 7-13 of this year and was a miracle trip.
It was joyful but arduous and he went to the hospital immediately upon
return. When Rob decided to transition to hospice care he told us there
was no greater purpose in life than to love and be loved in return. He was
not afraid of leaving this life, he just didn't want to leave us behind. Rob
lived a wonderful life. He will be sorely missed. Well done, good and
faithful servant. Matthew 25:23.

Services will be held on Friday, May 3, 2024 at 2:00 p.m. at the Davilla Assembly of God Church.

For those coming from the north with routes through Temple to the church in Davilla, please consider this alternate route since US190 is under construction and subject to backup.
From Temple, head south on TX-53 E/W
Adams Ave toward W Adams Ave.
Continue to follow TX-53 E for 11 miles.
Turn right onto FM437 S through Red Ranger for approximately 20 miles to Davilla.

Burial will then be held shortly after at Seaton Cemetery, with a reception to follow at the Seaton Center and a toast at the Tom Sefcik Hall.