Robert Frederick Sunstrom

Robert F. Sunstrom passed away on Tuesday June 21, 2011 in Cumming Georgia. He died at age 91 following a short illness at Embracing Hospice. Robert was preceded in death by his parents Frederick and Amanda Sunstrom and his sisters Ethel Lindholm, Luella Nelson, Clarabelle Nelson, and brother Raymond Sunstrom. He is survived by his wife of 69 years Patricia Sunstrom, daughters Lisa Sunstrom Penz, Sarah Sunstrom Bedia, and his son Robert R. Sunstrom. Robert is also survived by grandchildren Larissa Penz Reece, Erik Penz, Jennifer Sunstrom, Scott Sunstrom, Sheila Sunstrom Steinhoff, Lucas Bedia, and Andrew Bedia, in addition to great grandchildren Zoe and Winslow Reece, and Sylvia and Audrey Steinhoff.

He was born September 6, 1919 and grew up in Menominee Michigan. He was a 1937 graduate of Menominee High School. Robert served in the army during World War II in France and Germany. He was the message sender chief in the Army 29th Division, 119th Infantry. He observed many of the horrors of war but would never talk about what her saw there. He was president of the Menominee American Legion Post. After the war he worked in a Law office for a brief time before what was to be a lifetime of work for the Ansul Chemical Company. He worked as traffic manager, refrigeration division manager, research analyst for other divisions and finally as Director of Government and Industry affairs. He often spoke of the powerful and interesting people whose paths he crossed while in that position. But professional work was only part of his work story. He served on the Board of Directors at First Presbyterian Church, Riverside Country Club, and Rotary Club. He initiated the Rotary International Exchange student program and the Sunstrom family hosted six foreign students in the 1950s. One of them is still an active family friend today. He served as manager of fund raising for the Salvation Army, United Way, and other local charities. Robert was a fine cook and made his own version of the Weber cooker before the Weber Company marketed theirs. He was a loyal Green Bay Packer fan, often enthusiastically braving below zero temperatures to enjoy the game and initiated one of the first tailgate groups in the early 1960s.

Robert was an avid outdoorsman, often hunting and fishing all over the US and Canada. He was also an avid bridge player. He later retired to Keowee Key resort community in South Carolina and played golf until he was about 84 years old. He was the oldest customer at Golds Gym in Clemson, South Carolina and they welcomed him enthusiastically, as he was good for business. During his retirement in South Carolina he was an active member of St. Andrews Catholic Church in Clemson.

Besides the activities of a happy and well lived life he found time to be an adoring husband and loving father and his family will miss him very much. He was much loved.

A Funeral Mass will be celebrated June 25, 2011 at St. Brendans Catholic Church in Cumming, Georgia. Interment will be at Riverside Cemetery in Menominee, Michigan at a later date. The family requests that memorial donations may be made to: Embracing Hospice, 8013 Majors Rd., Cumming, GA 30041.

Arrangements by Byars Funeral Home & Cremation Services, 155 Professional Park Drive, Cumming, Georgia. (678) 455-5815.