Robert Lyon Sanderson, "Bob", passed away peacefully and supported by loving friends and family in his Afton home Wednesday, August 17th, 2016. He is survived by his children Robert Jr., Therese and Amy Sanderson, Jeff Dow (and Sandra), his step daughters Pam Brayton (Ray Brayton), Kim Maas (Bryan Maas), his niece Neva Humphreys, grandchildren Ben and Jeremiah Dow, Mandy Williams (Chris Williams), great grandchildren Sawyer and Sophia Williams, sister Gina Sanderson, brother Will Sanderson (Linda Sanderson) and beloved wife Sharon Sanderson of the Etna, Thayne and Afton area and Humphrey family. For many years Bob and Sharon owned and operated the Etna Trading Company and both also served as the Etna Postmasters. Bob was a Marine, a renowned pilot, a one time rancher and beloved husband, friend, fishing buddy, brother, father and grandfather. Robert Sanderson was born along with his twin sister Clair Kathleen on October 27, 1933 in Montreal, Canada to Dr. Joseph Lyon and Catherine Reeve Sanderson. Bob spent his youth in Michigan and Ontario, Canada growing up with his sisters Joanne, Clair, Cathy and Gina and brother Bill. He loved to hunt and fish and collected many animals in and around his family home. He joined the Marine Corps and was sent to Okinawa, Japan after the Korean conflict. He used his GI benefits to learn how to fly and in 1957 obtained his Private and Commercial licenses. In 1959, and beckoned for Alaska, Bob arrived with nothing much to his name and then, with a partner pilot, he started a flying service they called Yukon Airways. Their flyer advertised "Service, Rates, Equipment, Charter, Contract, Versatility, Insurance, Personnel, Experience ….. Serving the Entire Yukon River and Distant Points". His log book for that year showed 718 hours flown in a Cessna 180 bush plane in Anchorage, Fairbanks, Galena, Ruby, Tanana, Bethel, Russian Mission, Mountain Village, Huslia, McGrath and many other places of the interior of Alaska. At the end of 1961 when they returned to the lower 48, Bob's log showed 3089 hours of flight time as well as an instrument rating. This would be just the beginning of a long flying career. In the beginning of the 1960's, Bob flew an open cockpit aircraft from Boston to Anchorage for a friend when he stopped to gas up in Missoula. Bob Johnson of Johnson Flying Service had offered him a job if and when he would return. After taking the job, Bob Sanderson then went on to fly every type of aircraft JFS had. His immense flying career included charter work, flight instruction, forest service work flying slurry bombers and dropping smokejumpers across North America. Bob continued flying for JFS until the company was sold to Evergreen Helicopters (later Minuteman Aviation) in 1975. Bob continued flying for Jerry Mamuzich with Minuteman. Bob went on to become the Director of Operations at Empire Airways of Missoula. The Remarks section of the logs continue through this time with thousands of hours, notably for flight instruction with hundreds of men and women. His favorite airplane to fly was the DC3, known for mountain flying. An example of the craft exists in the Missoula Museum of Mountain Flying. In addition to his history as a pilot, Bob was what you might call a "western entrepreneur" starting a real estate and tire company among many things near the Missoula area. Bob married Sharon Humphreys in Missoula, Montana in the fall of 1980. Together they purchased and then ran the Etna Trading Company, a general store, antique shop and post office for about 30 years where they were well known in the Star Valley Community. At that time as well, his flight hours continued flying Feeders for Federal Express. At that time he retired from flying, he had over 25,000 hours of flying. In Etna, Robert and Sharon had many happy years with children and beloved friends with legendary fishing stories and times spent together as a family after the long days of tending the store. His love for Wyoming, it's landscape and history, was especially profound. Bob was an adventurer with a foundational work ethic known for his large spirit and huge heart. The quote from many is this: "He was the kindest most loving man there ever was." His influence reached many for his connection to raw nature, all animals, sense of pride and dignity and everlasting sense of humor. He will be given full military honors following a service to be held in Thayne, Wyoming this Tuesday with the kind support by the Schwab Funeral Chapel. A viewing will be held from 10-11am, service at 12pm.

Viewing: Tuesday August 23, 2016 10:00 AM
Funeral: Tuesday August 23, 2016 12:00 PM
Burial: Tuesday August 23, 2016 1:30 PM