Mississippi tire mogul and humanitarian Robert H. “Bob” Dunlap has passed away at the age of 96.
Dunlap passed away Sunday at his Panola County home “surrounded by family, friends, and his nine beloved rescue dogs,” his family announced in a Monday afternoon statement.
Dunlap took his father’s company, Dunlap & Kyle Tire Company, and turned it into one of Mississippi’s top privately owned companies and one of the nation’s leading independent tire dealers. Dunlap & Kyle serves all 50 states and 12 countries and is the parent company of Gateway and Hesselbein Tire companies.
A Batesville native and a Navy veteran, Dunlap was a 1951 graduate of the University of Mississippi and gave back to his alma mater in several ways, including through financial contributions and serving on the UM Foundation Board. One of the state’s most well-known philanthropists, Dunlap was a supporter of Palmer Home for Children, the Natchez Trace of Scouting America, and Palmer Home for Children, among countless other institutions, nonprofits, and organizations.
His philanthropy was oftentimes focused on paying college tuition for people who otherwise couldn’t afford it. A staunch believer in taking full advantage of opportunities, Dunlap would cover all higher-education costs for students with the agreement that they kept their grades up.
“Until just a few months ago, ‘Mr. Bob’ drove himself to Batesville each day and could be found in his wood-paneled office, a cup of black coffee in one hand and a lit cigar in the other, meeting with employees and visitors, checking on company operations, and doing what he loved best – building relationships and helping people,” a press release from Dunlap & Kyle Tire Company said.
“His philanthropy was legendary: scholarships for countless students, donations to schools, colleges, and universities, churches, charities, and simple acts of kindness that literally changes lives,” the release continued. “Behind the scenes, he paid tuition for waitresses and warehouse workers, forgave debts for those struggling with illnesses, and gave second chances to men and women coming out of prison by offering them jobs – and careers – at Dunlap & Kyle.”
He always gave back to his hometown, too, providing constant support for Batesville and its schools, such as South Panola High School. Mayor Hal Ferrell remembers him as “a man with the Midas Touch in the community.”
“A coffee drinker, dog lover, political enthusiast, storyteller, and above all, a giver, Bob Dunlap lived every day with purpose,” the release continued. “His life embodies the words he often recalled from a Navy chaplain quoting George Bernard Shaw: ‘A gentleman is one who puts more into the world than he takes out.’ Robert H. Dunlap did just that, and so much more.”
Dunlap is survived by his wife of 36 years, Cyd Dunlap, his sister, five children, 10 grandchildren, and seven great-grandchildren. A visitation will be held Saturday from 10 a.m. to 1 p.m. at the Gateway Tire Indoor Practice Facility at South Panola High School. The service will follow with a private funeral being held afterward. Instead of flowers, the family is requesting donations be made to charities such as Tubb Spay & Neuter Clinic, Palmer Home for Children, Boy Scouts of America, or Panola County Community Chest.
