Robert E. Sawyer
May 3, 1925 — April 15, 2017
Robert E. Sawyer
Robert E. Sawyer passed away in the early morning hours of Saturday, April 15, 2017. Bob was born in the small town of Mohall, North Dakota on May 3, 1925 to Mary and Fred Sawyer. He grew up with his siblings, Betty, Harold, Bruce and Ann. As a young man he worked hard in the family butcher shop and grocery store after school.
During his senior year of high school the bombing of Pearl Harbor prompted him to enlist in the Navy. Bob forged his father's signature to enlist. He served in the Pacific as a Yeoman Clerk aboard LST 470. The LST 470 was used in battles to retake the Philippines from Japan. At the end of World War II, he returned to Sherwood, North Dakota where he graduated high school. After graduation, he moved with his parents and Ann to Salt Lake City, Utah. He started what would become a long career with Sears, first as a salesman and later as a District Manager.
In Salt Lake he met and married Donna Mellor. They moved to California and had two children, Robert and Vickie. They later divorced. In 1962, he married Oril Margaret Tolman. They had three sons, Tom, Bill and David. Over the years they lived in Salinas and Bakersfield, California, and Springville, Richfield, and Sandy, Utah. During these years Bob worked for Sears, ZCMI, JCPenneys, and Intermountain Farmers.
In 1984, Margaret passed away, three years later he married Venita Cope and retired to Salinas. Venita and Bob enjoyed selling Shaklee products and traveling but he quickly grew bored and returned to work first at Macy's and later Wal-Mart. At 80 he retired again to take care of Venita who was suffering with Alzheimer's. They moved to Fort Smith, Arkansas and later returned to Salt Lake where Venita passed away. For the past 6 years Bob lived at Olympus Ranch Retirement Community where he enjoyed many evenings of bingo, poker and pinochle with his friends.
Through his life, more than anything else, he loved being with family and friends. He has a large posterity with 5 children, 21 grandchildren, 33 great grandchildren and 7 great great grandchildren. While we know that he is happy with his family and friends on the other side of the veil, he will be very much missed by those here.
Services will be held at Goff Mortuary on Thursday, April 20, 2017, 8090 South State Street, Midvale, UT. Viewing at 10 a.m. and funeral at 11 a.m. Burial at Larkin Sunset Gardens, 1950 East 10600 South, Sandy, Utah.
During his senior year of high school the bombing of Pearl Harbor prompted him to enlist in the Navy. Bob forged his father's signature to enlist. He served in the Pacific as a Yeoman Clerk aboard LST 470. The LST 470 was used in battles to retake the Philippines from Japan. At the end of World War II, he returned to Sherwood, North Dakota where he graduated high school. After graduation, he moved with his parents and Ann to Salt Lake City, Utah. He started what would become a long career with Sears, first as a salesman and later as a District Manager.
In Salt Lake he met and married Donna Mellor. They moved to California and had two children, Robert and Vickie. They later divorced. In 1962, he married Oril Margaret Tolman. They had three sons, Tom, Bill and David. Over the years they lived in Salinas and Bakersfield, California, and Springville, Richfield, and Sandy, Utah. During these years Bob worked for Sears, ZCMI, JCPenneys, and Intermountain Farmers.
In 1984, Margaret passed away, three years later he married Venita Cope and retired to Salinas. Venita and Bob enjoyed selling Shaklee products and traveling but he quickly grew bored and returned to work first at Macy's and later Wal-Mart. At 80 he retired again to take care of Venita who was suffering with Alzheimer's. They moved to Fort Smith, Arkansas and later returned to Salt Lake where Venita passed away. For the past 6 years Bob lived at Olympus Ranch Retirement Community where he enjoyed many evenings of bingo, poker and pinochle with his friends.
Through his life, more than anything else, he loved being with family and friends. He has a large posterity with 5 children, 21 grandchildren, 33 great grandchildren and 7 great great grandchildren. While we know that he is happy with his family and friends on the other side of the veil, he will be very much missed by those here.
Services will be held at Goff Mortuary on Thursday, April 20, 2017, 8090 South State Street, Midvale, UT. Viewing at 10 a.m. and funeral at 11 a.m. Burial at Larkin Sunset Gardens, 1950 East 10600 South, Sandy, Utah.
Guestbook
Visits: 6
This site is protected by reCAPTCHA and the
Google Privacy Policy and Terms of Service apply.
Service map data © OpenStreetMap contributors
