Former Arlington mayor Robert Cluck dies at 87, city officials announce
Former Arlington mayor Robert N. Cluck, whose leadership helped bring the Dallas Cowboys to the city, died Tuesday at age 87, city officials said in a statement.
Cluck, a former obstetrician-gynecologist, was elected to two terms on the Arlington City Council before serving as mayor for 12 years, from 2003 until 2015.
“Dr. Cluck’s tenure was defined by bold milestones,” city officials wrote in an online obituary. “He was known as a champion for public health and economic revitalization, steering the city through the development of the Arlington Highlands shopping center, Viridian masterplan community in north Arlington, and the rebirth of Downtown.”
Cluck was born in Cisco, Texas, on March 20, 1939. He earned his Bachelor of Science degree at Southern Methodist University in Dallas and later attended medical school at UT-Southwestern, completing his residency at John Peter Smith hospital.
A two-year Air Force veteran, Cluck served as a general medical officer at Clark Air Force Base in the Philippines, according to his obituary.
Cluck originated the idea of moving the Dallas Cowboys to Arlington in 2001, when he was serving on the city council. He reached out to Cowboys owner Jerry Jones after hearing the team might be in the market for a new location.
Jones named the stadium’s atrium after him in 2015, and a city park east of the stadium also bears his name.
“During his time as mayor, Dr. Cluck was instrumental in the growing city’s vision for development and redevelopment,” city officials said. “He saw the community’s potential as a thriving and competitive city of the future, and it was his ability to build collaborative partnerships that helped the city be a part of developments such as The University of Texas at Arlington’s College Park, the Levitt Pavilion and Downtown Arlington redevelopment. He also worked on economic development initiatives to keep the Texas Rangers and General Motors Arlington Assembly Plant.”
Cluck is survived by his wife, Linda, daughters Katherine and Jennifer, son Robert and four grandchildren.
