Robert J. (Bob) Sobotta

9/12/1937 — 11/4/2025

Service Date: 11/10/2025
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Robert “Bob” Jude Sobotta Sr., 88, of Lapwai, passed away peacefully surrounded by family on Tuesday, Nov. 4, 2025, leaving behind a legacy rooted in faith, community and service. Born on Sept. 12, 1937, in Lapwai to George and Anne (Greiser) Sobotta, Bob was the sixth of seven children raised in a family whose story stretched from the Wisconsin farmlands to the rolling hills of Idaho. His early years were marked by humble beginnings, a close-knit extended family and a childhood shaped by the values of hard work, loyalty and perseverance.

Bob was a proud graduate of Lapwai High School, class of 1956, where he was a standout student-athlete. He was a key member of the historic 1956 Lapwai Wildcats basketball team that won the Idaho State Class B Championship. His love for the game never left him. Throughout his life, basketball remained woven into the heart of his family, his community and his spirit.

Bob went on to attend Washington State University, College of Idaho and Lewis-Clark Normal School, playing college basketball and carrying with him the discipline, teamwork and grit that defined both his youth and his future career. While at Lewis-Clark, Bob served as student body president during the 1958-59 school year. After completing college at LC, he returned to what mattered most: serving others. He began as a teacher and coach, spending long days in classrooms and gyms, guiding students with the same compassion and patience he had once received from his own teachers. His educational career began at Pierce, followed shortly by his return to Lapwai.

In time, Bob earned his master’s in administration from the University of Idaho and became a principal and superintendent in the Lapwai School District, dedicating decades of his life to educating students. His leadership was grounded in the belief that schools must always center on the needs of children. His guidance impacted countless educators, students and families.

Bob served a term as mayor of Lapwai and remained a devoted public servant throughout his life. He also cherished his many educational roles following his career with the Lapwai School District. Bob continued his work as an administrator with the Wapato School District, the Idaho State Department of Education and the superintendent of the Coeur d’Alene Tribal School in DeSmet, Idaho, where he formed deep relationships and advocated for culturally responsive, community-centered education. He wrote monthly reflections for students, staff and parents while there. From those reflections, he began writing his book titled “Reflections, Challenges, and Blessings,” which he was just finishing at the time of his passing. Completing his educational career, Bob served as the superintendent of Catholic Schools of Idaho, a position he was very passionate about.

In addition to his many educational roles, Bob embraced the opportunities to serve others in various ways. He coached baseball and basketball, ranging from youth to high school teams. Bob was a longtime Idaho baseball and basketball official and was inducted into both the District II Officials and Idaho High School Activities Association Hall of Fame. Additionally, Bob truly enjoyed his time as a Catechism teacher and a driver’s ed instructor for the communities of Lapwai, Culdesac and Lewiston.

A man of incredible humility, Bob never sought recognition. Yet the imprint he leaves on Lapwai, on the Nez Perce community, and on the world of education is immeasurable.

Bob married the love of his life, Loretta Samuels, and together they raised six children who carried on his values of service and family. Four of their children — Bob Jr., Pat, Mike and Christa — played central roles in Lapwai’s basketball tradition, adding to the Sobotta family’s contribution to 10 high school state championships across generations. Bob often said basketball was a blessing, but his greatest joy was watching his children and grandchildren make their own marks on the world.

He is survived by his wife Loretta; children: Kim Bybee (Greg), Bob Sobotta Jr. (Angel), Patrick Sobotta (Debbie), Georgia Sobotta, Michael Sobotta and Christa Sobotta, Douglas son/grandson (Andelle); grandchildren: Trent, Ally, Payton, Glory, Grace, Faith, Treyton, Kage, Jett, Airyl, Davian, Kikeya and JC; great-grandchildren: Treton, Jaishaun, Keira, ’Éeyewin’, Héetewin’, Lilóoynin’, Jaigger, Harlan, Alex, Jeremiah, Charli, Zacora, Navy and Phoenix. He had a vast extended family and a wide circle of former students, colleagues, athletes and community members who loved him. He is preceded in death by his parents, George and Ann; his siblings, George Jr., Richard, Jack, Jerry, Gloria and Rosemary; and his grandchild, Josiah.

Bob was born on Main Street in Lapwai and spent his childhood living above his family’s businesses: Ann’s Lunch and George’s Barbershop. Growing up on the Nez Perce Reservation shaped him in profound, lasting ways. His earliest memories were of a community that welcomed his family without hesitation, treating them as their own. In a time when prejudice was still felt in many places, Lapwai was where Bob experienced acceptance, friendship and a shared sense of belonging. He often spoke with deep gratitude about the elders who guided him, including Josiah Red Wolf, who helped in the pool hall and shared stories that carried both history and wisdom. Bob cherished those conversations and held a lifelong respect for the Nez Perce people who shaped his understanding of community, resilience and generosity. The cafe and barbershop were daily gathering places where neighbors met, visited and supported one another. Bob remembered the steady stream of families, workers and ballplayers coming through the doors, each one adding their voice to the rhythm of Main Street. Outside, the Sobotta family built an outdoor basketball hoop with a light, and it became a center of evening activity. Young and old, Native and non-Native, played late into the night, building friendships that lasted a lifetime. After high school games, players, families and community members filled Ann’s Lunch to share food, stories and laughter. Bob treasured every part of his upbringing in Lapwai. The acceptance his family received and the relationships they built instilled in him a deep respect for the people and history of the reservation. That sense of belonging stayed with him throughout his life and shaped the way he understood service, humility and community.

Some of Bob’s greatest joys were the simple, meaningful moments of life. He loved to travel, especially to Arizona, Hawaii and on pilgrimages to Fatima and Lourdes. Bob was blessed to travel for the canonization of St. Kateri Tekakwitha by Pope Benedict XVI at St. Peter’s Basilica. Bishop Driscoll also sent him to St. Louis to represent the Idaho Diocese in honoring the Nez Perce Warriors who traveled East following the Lewis-Clark Expedition. He also traveled to Russia, Lisbon and Israel. He treasured time spent with family and friends, and his constant companion was his dog, Curry, who always benefited from Bob secretly slipping him bits of “people food.” He took pride in caring for his yard and could always be found watching basketball, football or baseball, whether in the stands or from his favorite chair at home. He followed our local schools and colleges, as well as Gonzaga, Boise State, Notre Dame, the Seattle Mariners and the Boston Celtics, with unwavering enthusiasm. More than anything, he loved cheering on his grandchildren at their games. He was so proud of each of them. Bob was a man of deep faith, and he spent much of his time in prayer, especially praying the rosary daily for the people he loved.

Bob’s life was one of courage, faith, reflection and service. He believed deeply that a community lifts its children and that success is measured not by personal accolades but by the people you uplift along the way. His legacy will continue in the classrooms he supported, the gyms he helped fill with pride and the community he loved so dearly. One of his favorite prayers was “Dear God, make me humble, make me good, make me be the way I should.”

A gathering of family and friends (open house) will take place from 3-5 p.m. Sunday, Nov. 9, at Lapwai Elementary School, 288 Agency Road, Lapwai. Those attending are encouraged to wear Bob’s favorite team gear: Notre Dame, Gonzaga, Boise State, Washington State, Mariners, Celtics, Lapwai or Clarkston.

The funeral service will be held Monday, Nov. 10, at Lapwai High School, 500 Willow Ave., Lapwai, starting with the recitation of the rosary at 10 a.m., then the reading of the obituary and a slideshow after the rosary. The funeral Mass will be celebrated at 11 a.m. at the school. Burial will follow at Spalding Cemetery. Dinner will be served after the burial back at Lapwai High School.

The family wishes to thank all who enriched Bob’s journey.

Service Information

Date & Time: Monday, November 10, 11:00 AM
Location: Lapwai High School
500 Willow Avenue
Lapwai, Idaho 83540

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Additional Details: Rosary will begin at 10:00 a.m. and the burial will follow at Spalding Cemetery