Former Executive, Civic Leader

TULSA, Okla. (AP) -- Robert E. "Bob" Bresnahan, who went to<br>work for Southwestern Bell digging holes and ended up running the<br>company's Tulsa operations, died Saturday. He was 68.<br><br>Bresnahan

Sunday, September 12th 1999, 12:00 am

By: News On 6

TULSA, Okla. (AP) -- Robert E. "Bob" Bresnahan, who went to
work for Southwestern Bell digging holes and ended up running the
company's Tulsa operations, died Saturday. He was 68.

Bresnahan retired as division manager in 1991 after more than 45
years with the company.

"He brought high energy to both company and community
commitments," said John Parsons, retired president of Southwestern
Bell in Oklahoma. "Once you had a commitment from Bres, you knew
you had something you could count on."

Born in Washington, D.C., Bresnahan quit school after the sixth
grade in El Paso, Texas, to become a frameman for Mountain States
Telephone Co.

Bresnahan worked for Southwestern Bell as a frameman, switching
office technician and test board technician before entering the
U.S. Army during the Korean War.

He returned to work for Southwestern Bell in Dallas and, in
1957, moved up to his first managerial position in Sweetwater,
Texas.

Over the years, he held a series of increasingly high-ranking
management positions in Abilene, Dallas, St. Louis and Oklahoma
City. In 1967 he was named the company's top executive in Tulsa.

In 1990, Southwestern Bell honored him with its Silver Vail
Medal, a company award for service and valor. The medal recognized
Bresnahan's work with another man to save the life of a driver who
had been trapped inside a flipped truck.

A Rosary is planned for 7 p.m. Tuesday in St. Rita's Chapel at
Cascia Hall. A funeral Mass will be held at 10 a.m. Wednesday at
Holy Family Cathedral.