Obituary of Robert Sund

Robert John Sund passed away peacefully with family by his side in Shelton on September 27, 2024, at the age of 95. Bob was born in Seattle and graduated from Lincoln High School, where he met Donna, the love of his life and wife of 73 years. He grew up the son of a Norwegian tugboat captain. When he wasn’t playing sports, he was working as a deckhand on his dad’s tug and exploring the Olympic Mountains. His family spent summers on Hood Canal where his grandfather homesteaded in 1889. After high school, Bob attended the University of Puget Sound. His long career in education and coaching started in Montesano. From there, Bob & Donna moved with their family to Forks where Bob coached football, track and basketball. It had been Bob’s dream to coach football in Shelton, and he became head football and track coach for the Highclimbers in 1957, also teaching math at Irene S. Reed High School. He kept in touch with many of his players into his final days. His final season coaching, the Climber football team went 7-1 –scoring 249 points to their opponents’ season total of 43. He also coached track and started the Shelton Invitational Track Meet with longtime friend and colleague Bill Brickert. Bob continued in school administration for the rest of his career, serving as Athletic Director and Vice Principal in Shelton, Vice Principal at Hyak Junior High in Bellevue, and finishing his career as Principal at Vashon Middle School. While living on Vashon, he and Donna spent weekends, holidays and summers on Hood Canal as part owners of Rest-a-While RV Park. Bob and Donna built their retirement home on the Sund family homestead on Hood Canal in the early 1980s. In his retirement, Bob was an active volunteer with the Hood Canal Kiwanis and served as advisor for the Shelton High School Key Club for 20 years. He served one term on the Hood Canal School Board and nearly 20 years on the Board for the Hood Canal Salmon Enhancement Group. He and Donna were members of Shelton United Methodist Church. They also enjoyed traveling together, but most often you would find him working in the woods, taking delight in his loved ones enjoying the family property, and – always - looking forward to football season. Bob is survived by sons Mark (Ann) and Brian (Linda), daughters Cindy (Margaret) and Shelley, his granddaughter, four grandsons, five great-grandchildren, and many nieces, nephews and others he considered family. The Sund homestead remains a place where memories are made, and Bob ensured generations of his family will continue to enjoy it and carry on traditions for years to come. A celebration of Bob’s life will be held on Saturday, October 5 from 11:00 a.m. to 1:00 p.m. at the Holiday Beach Clubhouse in Hoodsport. In lieu of flowers, donations may be made to Shelton High School Key Club. The family would like to express their deepest gratitude to the staff at Alpine Way, who cared for Bob so well at the end of his remarkable life.