MS SR76

Robert H. "Bob" Dunlap of Batesville, Mississippi, passed away on January 11, 2026, at age 96; he was a Navy veteran, Chairman and CEO of Dunlap & Kyle Co., Inc., which grew to become one of the largest independent tire distributors in the South with sales exceeding $1 billion in 2021

Dunlap provided extensive philanthropic support including scholarships, tuition assistance for workers, debt forgiveness for those facing illness, and employment opportunities for formerly incarcerated individuals; he received the 2023 "Tire Dealer Humanitarian of the Year" award from Tire Business magazine

A lifelong Eagle Scout, Dunlap championed Boy Scouts of America across Mississippi and the Mid-South, receiving the 2024 National Outstanding Eagle Scout Award for his service

Dunlap planted millions of trees across Mississippi, including on his 12,000-acre Caulk Island property along the Mississippi River, which is protected by a conservation easement preventing future logging

The Mississippi Senate extends sympathy to his surviving family, including wife Cyd Dunlap, five children, and multiple grandchildren, and directs that the resolution be presented to his family and forwarded to Batesville's Mayor and Board of Aldermen