Bob was born in Lambton Mills (Toronto) Ontario on April 6, 1929. He was the 3rd son of Henry and Ethel Suter. They raised their tightknit family of 10 children (Harry, Stan, Betty, Joyce, Robert, Gladys, Doug, Bill, Barb and Jim) in Langstaff Ontario. That is where Bob met his wife Joan Eulalie (Nee Hicks) and they raised their family of 4 children (Sharon, David, Ken and Neil) in a little house they built at 88 Westwood Lane in Thornhill Ontario.
Bob loved children and all the children he encountered remember the love and attention he showered on them. Bob is survived by his grandchildren: Jessica, Cassandra, Justin, Ryan, Austin, B.J., Steven, Cole, Erin, Ashleigh and Ashley and his great granddaughter, Surreal. As well, he is loved and remembered by his many nieces and nephews.
Bob and Joan’s large and loving family all spent some of each summer at the cottage he and Joan built on Otter Lake near Parry Sound Ontario. The cottage started as a boat-in camping spot but they built it into their dream home and retired there on the lake in the middle of the woods.
Bob’s trade was building and repairing surveying instruments. He learned his trade at Pocklington’s and eventually started his own company, Suter Instruments Limited, a partnership that sold and repaired survey instruments.
Besides building 2 homes, vehicle maintenance and repair, fishing, boating, making maple syrup and a brief stint as an airplane pilot, Bob’s hobbies included: woodworking, gardening and wine-making. He practiced his woodworking in fully outfitted wood working shops in his various garages and barns and he made and refinished many beautiful pieces. He loved nothing better than to share what he created and many of his friends and family have been the recipient of the fruits of his labor - something he built with his own hands like a treasured piece of furniture, a handful of tomatoes or a bottle of his home made wine.
Later in retirement, Bob and Joan moved to a home on Wellington Street in Barrie and then, when they were well into their retirement, they moved to the Victoria Village life leases where Bob was one of the resident gardeners, taught wine-making classes and acquired dart throwing skills.
Over the years, from Langstaff to Parry Sound, to Barrie, Bob and Joan enjoyed many close friendships that they treasured. Their Friday Night Pizza parties (with pizza pies homemade by Bob) are warmly remembered by their friends and family.
In his 90th year Bob became ill, had to have surgery and spent 5 weeks in the hospital before he died there on December 5, 2019. As it always was in life, Bob’s beloved wife Joan was by his side when he took his last breath.
Cremation has taken place with arrangements entrusted to the Steckley-Gooderham Funeral Home, 30 Worsley St., Barrie.