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Robert Frank Tinney, of Washington, Louisiana, passed away peacefully at River Oaks Nursing & Rehabilitation Center on February 1st, 2026, at the age of 78.
Born in 1947 in Penn Yan, New York, Robert moved at a young age with his parents, Ellis and Ruby, and his younger brother, Bill, to Baton Rouge, Louisiana. From Istrouma High School, Robert took with him a diploma, life-long friendships and a focus on artistic expression to Louisiana Tech University to study illustration and graphic design in commercial art. After graduating, and after a tour of service during the Vietnam War, Robert began a career that would see his artwork don the covers and pages of some of the most well-known computing publications in the world, most notably BYTE Magazine. Due to his signature artistic style, the name Robert Tinney soon became synonymous with the rapidly-growing world of computing technology, and remains so to this day.
A deeply caring husband and family man, Robert is survived by his devoted wife of 48 years, Susan, three children, nine grandchildren and one great-grandchild. Married in 1978, Robert and Susan lived and worked in Baton Rouge until 1987, when they moved to Washington, Louisiana, where they would restore an antebellum historic landmark home, the Crawford House. For over four decades, Robert and Susan served and nurtured their beloved community with open arms, and were rewarded with priceless family memories and an exuberance of rich, cherished friendships. Robert’s philosophical intellect, refreshing humor and profoundly sympathetic nature will be sorely missed by his loving family and a wealth of loyal friends and admirers.
A celebration of Robert’s life will be held in May, 2026. For more information, RSVP to illustrations@tinney.net.
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