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Former Arlington mayor Robert N. Cluck died Tuesday, April 14, 2026, at age 87, city officials announced.<\/p>\n
City of Arlington<\/p>\n
Former Arlington mayor Robert N. Cluck,<\/a> whose leadership helped bring the Dallas Cowboys to the city, died Tuesday at age 87, city officials said in a statement.<\/p>\n 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.<\/p>\n \u201cDr. Cluck\u2019s tenure was defined by bold milestones,\u201d city officials wrote in an online obituary. \u201cHe 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.\u201d<\/p>\n 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.<\/p>\n 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.<\/p>\n 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.<\/p>\n Jones named the stadium\u2019s atrium after him in 2015, and a city park east of the stadium also bears his name.<\/p>\n \u201cDuring his time as mayor, Dr. Cluck was instrumental in the growing city\u2019s vision for development and redevelopment,\u201d city officials said. \u201cHe saw the community\u2019s 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\u2019s 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.\u201d<\/p>\n Cluck is survived by his wife, Linda, daughters Katherine and Jennifer, son Robert and four grandchildren.<\/p>\n Related Stories from Fort Worth Star-Telegram<\/p>\n