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ROBERT BENTON SHORT, JR., was the only
child of Robert Benton and Lillie McDuffie
Short. Bob’s father was a prominent attorney
and the solicitor general of southwest Georgia.
Mrs. Short was a devoted homemaker and
excellent gardener; in fact, in 2003, the four-acre
Short homesite was dedicated as a city
park, the “Mac Short Camellia Garden.” In
the tranquil small town of Newton, GA, Bob
grew up enjoying the wisdom of his grandfather,
who was the local doctor; swimming in
the creek; and enjoying his pony Macaroni
and his dog Shep.
At age 16, Bob entered North Georgia
College. During his sophomore year, his
father died at age 47. In response, U.S.
Representative Eugene Cox wrote that he
“wouldn’t be in Congress if Bob’s father had
run for the seat” and offered Bob a service
academy appointment. Unfortunately, Cox
had only a Naval Academy slot, so Bob chose
to wait a year. At North Georgia, Bob was
president of the Drama Club and active in intercollegiate
debating. As a cadet, he was a varsity
debater, had a major dancing and singing
role in the 100th Nite Show, was in charge of
the cadet recorded-music lending library with
his roommate Jud Matthias, and was on the
Pointer staff .
At graduation, ranking high enough to select
from many branches, Bob chose Infantry.
Following the Officer Basic, Ranger, and
Airborne courses at Ft. Benning, GA, Bob
reported to the 8th Infantry Division in
Germany, serving as a platoon leader, company
executive officer, heavy weapons company
commander, battalion S-1 and assistant
division G-3 at Ulm, Goeppingen and Bad
Krueznach. Returning to the States in 1958,
he served as an instructor in the Infantry
School’s Ranger department. After attending
the Mountaineering School at Ft. Greeley,
AK, he served at the Ranger Mountain
Camp, revising the program. A year later, he
was assigned to the Ft. Benning phase of the
Ranger course. There, Bob wrote, produced,
and narrated the VIP Ranger Demonstration
that prompted President Kennedy to fund the
Green Berets in Viet Nam.
In 1960, Bob attended the Advanced Officer Course and, while there, played the
lead in a Columbus Little Theater production
of e Tender Trap. The Infantry Center
Information Section, working on improving
military-civilian relations, sent Millicent
Scudder to interview Bob. Milly was the
daughter of COL Irvine Scudder, who had
died on active duty in 1950, and his widow
Hazel, superintendent of the Ft. Benning
Children’s Schools. In 1961, Bob and Milly
were married. Milly’s brother is COL (Ret.)
William Scudder ’60.
Bob next moved to St. Louis and served
as aide-de-camp to the commanding general,
XI Corps. In 1963, now a captain, he made
a major career change and resigned his commission.
His military decorations included the
Army Commendation Medal with two oak
leaf clusters. In the 8 Jul 1963 Army Times,
Bob’s name appeared on the list of new majors;
he had been selected for promotion below
the zone.
The Shorts then moved to Louisville,
where Bob entered the management program
of Joseph E. Seagram & Sons. He also attended
classes at the University of Louisville, earning
a bachelor’s degree in economics and an
MBA in management. At Louisville, he was a
member of Phi Kappa Phi honor society and
named Outstanding Student in University
College. In 1967, Bob relocated to Jackson,
TN, as plant manager of Seagram Cooperage.
There, he also starred in plays at Jackson Little
Theatre and Lambuth College and taught economics
at Jackson State Community College.
In 1971, he returned to Louisville
as general manager of the Cooperage
Division, one of only six people at that
level in Seagram. In 1976, the Cooperage
plants were consolidated in Memphis,
so Bob and his family moved to adjacent
Germantown, TN. Bob starred in
eleven plays at Theatre Memphis and the
Germantown Theatre, of which he also
served as president. He was also a member
of Kiwanis and the Lumberman’s Club
and national president of the Associated
Cooperage Industries of America.
In 1980, Bob had a heart attack and
quadruple bypass surgery and retired five
years later. From 1988 to 1992, he was a
Ph.D. candidate and teaching fellow at the
University of North Texas, Denton. He was
a member of the Southern Management
Association, Association of Global Business,
U.S. Competitiveness in World Markets
Association and the Southwestern Federation
of Administrative Disciplines. He was listed
in Who’s Who in the South and Southwest and Who’s Who in American
Education and was invited
to join a team of businessmen advising
their counterparts in Russia.
Bob completed work on a Ph.D. in strategic
management in May 1992. Shortly thereafter,
he died due to complications from pneumonia.
Prior to his death, he had accepted a
teaching post in Houston. The Department
of Management Ph.D. students, faculty, and
staff planted an oak tree in Bob’s name near
the Business Administration Building “to
show their admiration and respect” for him.
Bob’s headstone is inscribed “U.S. Military
Academy, 1954” and “Just dancin’ and singin’
in the rain.” Milly and three children
survive: Susan Francesca Short, editor for a
Memphis publisher; LTC Steven Michael
Short, Tennessee Air Guard C-130 command
pilot (flying only Special Ops) and FedEx
DC-10 pilot; Cynthia Short Schmicker, production
assistant for Tales from the Crypt when
Bob died. Two months later, she was named
production coordinator for all HBO films.
We think he knew. Also surviving was Bob’s
first cousin, Elizabeth Armstrong Morris, who
married Bob’s C-2 classmate and debate partner,
Robert Parker Morris.
Bob had an incredible gift for getting
along with people. In his 22 years at
Seagram, he never had a grievance go to arbitration.
Bob had a world view and a high
sense of duty. May he rest in peace and may
those who love and miss him be comforted
by all the good memories.
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