The life of Robert Nelson Coons began April 21, 1944, in Snohomish, Wash., and through a unique turn of events, led him to grow up in Sandpoint, Idaho, as an only child to Cliff and Margaret Coons.
As a young boy, Robert enjoyed playing football and basketball, and his love of the outdoors began. He graduated from Sandpoint High School in 1963.
Bob passed peacefully at home with family early in the morning Tuesday, Nov. 29, 2022, from cancer, at the age of 78. He married young, twice, and both marriages were blessed with children but not longevity. He married the love of his life, Lori Sarbacher, April 2, 1977, and together, they raised five children and one grandson. Bob loved his family and friends and found fulfillment spending time with them as well as in his work as a machine technician at Potlatch Corp. until he retired in 2002.
Bob lived a very active life, and some of his most talked-about accomplishments were working for the Forest Service in Idaho as a young man, working on the ski patrol and being a part of dynamiting the first ski runs at Schweitzer Ski Resort. He served seven years in the U.S. Army, being stationed abroad in Germany and France as well as Texas, and then ending his military career in the Idaho National Guard. Once Bob left the military, he became increasingly involved in the Masonic Order and was a 33rd degree Scottish Rite White Hat. He was very proud of his involvement in the Shriners as a greeter, helping to set up screening clinics for the Shriners Hospital and spending countless hours volunteering his time in the local Shriners Garden as well as other Shriner activities.
Robert’s passions in life included anything in the outdoors. He especially enjoyed hunting, fishing, camping, four-wheeling and shooting, which led to his involvement and volunteering the last few years of his life at the Lewis-Clark Wildlife Club. There, he volunteered as a range officer and took pride in helping to maintain the shooting range, run Appleseed Shooting events, barbecuing for events and was a major contributor to the expansions, improvements and overall growth of the club. Bob spent countless hours assisting with local yearly NRA Banquets, selling tickets, procuring donations, running booths and participating in the event. Bob was an excellent storyteller and his kids will tell you they loved and cherished his many versions and tellings of “The Big Fish” story.
He was preceded in death by his parents, Cliff and Margaret Coons; sisters, Mickey Huml and Betty Ann Weatherby; and son, Chris Dillard. He is survived by his wife of 45 years, Lori Coons of Lewiston; children, Leslie Schmidt, of Pomeroy, Leon (Cindy) Coons, of Washougal, Wash., Jessica (Ed) Bockstruck, of Lewiston, Michael Coons, Longview, Wash., and Jenie (JD) Webb, of Reubens; grandchildren Kade Coons, Jeremiah Coons-Niland, Tanner Coons, Katherine McCartney, KayLee Schmidt, Gage Webb, Boone Schmidt, Trigger Webb, Rebel Webb and Emma Bockstruck.
Bob requested to be cremated and his ashes spread by the family in the mountains. Per his request, no formal services are planned at this time. In lieu of flowers, the family suggests donations be made in Bob’s name to the Lewis-Clark Wildlife Club, P.O. Box 146, Lewiston, ID 83501.
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