Theodore Robert 'Bob' Sankey
Theodore Robert “Bob” Sankey, 90, of Butler passed away Monday evening in the Hospice Unit of the Butler V.A. Medical Center surrounded by his loving family.
Born on Aug. 11, 1923, in Saxonburg, he was a son of the late Howard C. Sankey and Othelia A. (Lippold) Sankey.
Bob graduated from Butler High School in 1941, the University of Pittsburgh in 1949 with a Bachelor of Science degree in electrical engineering and from Syracuse University in 1962 with a M.B.A. in controllership.
He retired from the U.S. Army as a lieutenant colonel following 22 years. During that time he spent 6½ years overseas fighting in combat in World War II, the Korean War and the Vietnam War, and he was in Europe during the Cold War. He was an atomic veteran, having participated in two atomic tests in Nevada in 1953. For his service time, he received numerous medals and Stars.
Following his retirement from the U.S. Army, he was the assistant director for the Butler County Memorial Hospital. He was the leader of many local organizations including the Butler County Veterans Association, the VFW Golf League, the World War II 47th Troop Squadron, the American Legion Post 778 in Lyndora, the Butler Disabled Veterans Chapter 64 and the Knights of Columbus 866 in Butler. He received the Veteran of the Year Award for Butler County and also was the Disabled Veteran of the Year for the State of Pennsylvania.
Bob was a member of the St. Paul Roman Catholic Church, Butler. A special thanks to his daughter, Donna, and his daughter-in-law, Ronnie, for their loving care over the years.
Surviving are his wife, Frances Alene (Hinchberger) Sankey, who he married on June 6, 1946; his six children, Thomas R. (Corliss) Sankey of Columbus, Ga., Barbara E. Malis of Butler, Donna M. (George) Huff of Butler, Jacqueline S. (William) Daugherty of Butler, Edwin P. (Joanne) Sankey of Pittsburgh and Ronald A. (Veronica) Sankey of Butler; his 14 grandchildren; and his 15 great-grandchildren.
In addition to his parents, he was preceded in death by his brother; two sisters; and a son-in-law.
Sankey — The friends of Theodore Robert “Bob” Sankey, who passed away Monday, Aug. 4, 2014, will be received from 2 to 4 and 7 to 9 p.m. Friday at the Geibel Funeral Home, 201 E. Cunningham St., Butler.A Mass of Christian burial will be celebrated at 10 a.m. Saturday at the St. Paul Roman Catholic Church, 128 N. McKean St., Butler. Interment with military honors will follow in Calvary Cemetery, Butler.The St. Paul's Catholic Women and Christian Mothers will meet at 9:30 a.m. Saturday at the church to recite the rosary.In lieu of flowers, donations may be made to the Disabled American Veterans, Chapter 64 of Butler, P.O. Box 1728, Butler, PA 16003-1728.For more information or to leave an online condolence, please visit www.geibelfuneralhome.com.
