George Robert “Bob” Sanders
George Robert “Bob” Sanders, 93, of Troy, Montana, left this world on Sept. 29, 2022.
He ended a full life of 93 years at home with his family present, just as he had wished.
The Sanders family first came to Troy in 1917. Bob’s father, Henry Sanders and mother, Lavina (Fouks) Sanders were temporarily living in Kellogg, Idaho, where Henry was working as a carpenter at the Bunker Hill Mine, when Bob was born on Jan. 14, 1929.
Bob grew up on the family’s dairy farm and ranch in the Iron Creek Valley, south of Troy, where as a child he helped deliver milk by wagon in the local area. He attended Troy schools and graduated in 1946 from Troy High School, where he was captain of the basketball team.
In 1948 Bob joined the U.S. Navy. He served until 1952 as a radioman on PB4Y2 search and rescue aircraft based out of Corpus Christi, Texas.
While he was in the Navy, he indulged his love of motorcycles and owned several Harley Davidsons. When he had leave he rode his Harley the 4,000 mile round trip from south Texas to Troy.
Bob returned to Troy after the Navy and worked in the logging industry, first driving trucks for J. Neils Lumber Co. and then owning and driving his own trucks.
Over the years he worked with Dave Robins, Martin Riedlinger, Bruce Leighty and other long-time local logging contractors. He also fulfilled a dream of driving long-haul semis, criss-crossing the western U.S. and Canada for International Transport. He kept active as a truck driver and mechanic for many years after his “official” retirement.
A lover of the outdoors, when asked why he enjoyed working in the woods, Bob replied “It’s like going camping every day.”
In 1955, Bob met Betty Jo Warman, who had recently moved to Troy from Missouri, and they were married on Nov. 24 of that year. They lived in a tiny trailer on the family’s Iron Creek ranch until buying property just outside Troy in 1961, where they had lived ever since.
Bob and Betty were together for nearly 67 years.
Besides Betty, Bob’s other loves were fishing, snowmobiling and flying. He took flying lessons and, with childhood friend Jim Winslow, owned three single-engine Cessnas over the years in a hangar that they built at the Troy airport.
Summer weekends often found him out in his boat, fishing, and winter weekends were spent on snowmobile trail rides with his buddies.
Bob was preceded in death by his sisters June (Sanders) Burns and Lois (Sanders) Smeltzer.
He is survived by his wife, Betty; son Joe Sanders and his wife Diane Sanders of Tumwater, Washington; and grandchildren Malia Sanders of Port Angeles, Washington, and Taylor Sanders of Palouse, Washington, as well as many nieces and nephews.
Arrangements are by Schnackenberg Funeral Home in Libby, Montana. Online memories may be shared at www.schnackenbergfh.com.
It was Bob’s wish that no public memorial service be held. His family requests that donations in his memory be made to the Troy School District All School Reunion Scholarship Fund, P.O. Box, 867, Troy, MT 59935.
Bob’s family would like to express their appreciation to so many members of the Troy community for all of their support in recent years, and especially during this time of loss – and of celebration of his life.
When you hear a passing truck’s Jake Brake, please think of Bob.
