Robert M. Sunderland, 73

Robert M. Sunderland, 73, passed away on November 1, 2025, in Phoenix, Arizona.

He was born January 13, 1952, in Sidney, Montana, to Richard and Elsa (Hollom) Sunderland. Bob graduated from Seely-Swan High School in 1970 and spent summers working at the Clearwater Junction gas station. He started college at MSU Bozeman on a basketball scholarship, but eventually decided the workforce was more his style.

After moving to Butte, he worked for Dugdale Construction for many years, then for Jack & Hank Piazzola at Piazzola Construction in Whitehall. Bob spent 33 years at Golden Sunlight, first as an equipment operator and later as a crew foreman, until the open pit closed. Not one to sit around, he worked at Smith Supply from 2016 to 2020 and returned to the GSM mine site in 2017, working for Smith & Sons Construction. He often said the best thing about his jobs was all the friendships he acquired.

Bob is survived by his wife of 48 years, Barbara; son Bryan of Whitehall; daughter Kristin of Phoenix, AZ; sister Arlys Lewis, Fairview, MT; nieces Vickie Howard (Dan) of Livingston, MT; Lisa Elkin (Rodney) of Fairview, MT; Beth Hartford, Helena, MT; and mother-in-law, Marian Poff, Whitehall.

He was preceded in death by his parents, Richard and Elsa; brother and sister Larry Sunderland and Cindy Sunderland.

Special thanks to our neighbors, friends, and our Phoenix tribe for everything you have done for Bob and his family.

A big thank you to Mayo Clinic of Phoenix and Hospice of the Valley Ryan House for the excellent care Bob received during his journey through aggressive Acute Myeloid Leukemia.

A Celebration of Life will be held on Saturday, December 6, 2025, at 1:30 PM at Trinity United Methodist Church in Whitehall, MT.

In lieu of flowers, the family suggests memorials to Madison-Jefferson 4H, PO Box 1079, Whitehall, MT 59759.