Flower Mound's first mayor dies at 80

Bob Rheudasil, a founding father of Flower Mound, passed away Monday morning.

“Bob was 80 and one of the last real gentleman cowboys,” said Rheudasil’s son-in-law, Mark Glover.

Rheudasil served as the town’s first mayor in 1961, and was elected to three consecutive terms. He was also a leader in defeating Irving’s attempt to annex the area, which led to the incorporation of the Town of Flower Mound. He continued to remain active in the community during his lifetime, most recently serving on the Flower Mound Tree Board and as the 2008 Christmas Parade Grand Marshal. 

One of the Town’s oldest and most visited parks bears his namesake, as does the local pond which is home to annual youth fishing contests.

Originally from Paris, Texas, Rheudasil moved to Flower Mound in 1953 to work for Edward Marcus. He was recognized in a 2011 State of Texas Senate resolution for his role in the incorporation and development of Flower Mound.

“He came to Flower Mound when it was basically pasture, trees, and a few hundred people. Bob had the honor to help shape Flower Mound. He was proud to serve as the first Mayor and always said, ‘I welcome you to Flower Mound as long as you welcome the next people to come’”, said Glover.

A funeral service was held on Thursday at Trietsch Memorial United Methodist Church in Flower Mound.  Read Rheudasil’s obituary here.

In lieu of flowers, the family requests donations in his memory to the Camp Sweeney Diabetic Scholarship or the American Heart Association.

The Cross Timbers Gazette last sat down with Rheudasil in 2010. Read the article here.