Robert "Bob" D. Sopher

HERMITAGE- Robert Denton Sopher died Sunday March 20, 2016, at 5:15AM in the Sharon Regional Health System following a four month illness.

Bob was born on January 20, 1929 in Grove City, PA to Matthew Denton Sopher and Virginia Hitchcock Sopher and was the oldest son of their five children all of whom spent their early years in Grove City.

He was an Eagle Scout and a valuable part of Grove City High School’s football team and band. Following graduation in 1945 he chose to enlist in the U.S. Navy.  He was an aerial photographers mate which followed an interest and part-time job in photography in high school.  Bob earned the World War II Victory Medal and following his Navy Tour he entered Grove City College taking advantage of the G.I. Bill.  He continued his love of football playing four years for the Grove City Wolverines and graduating with a degree in Business Administration in 1953.

He joined the Kroger Company, married Rose Sadlo, had four children and became a store manager in several stores in eastern Ohio and western Pennsylvania settling in Oil City, PA.  There he briefly co-owned his own IGA store The Eager Beaver. He was involved in Rotary and Oil City Chamber of Commerce.

Bob had always wanted to teach and in 1968 he changed careers, and became the Distributive Education Teacher (Marketing) at the Venango Technology Center.  As a single parent raising his four children, he traveled of Pittsburgh to earn his Masters Degree in Education from the University of Pittsburgh.  His choice to become a teacher allowed him time for summer vacations with his family to Canada, fishing trips with friends and colleagues, trips to visit relatives, as well as jobs teaching adult education classes and residents from Polk State School.  He worked part-time evenings and summers doing carpentry work for hire, and later completed his own home improvement projects while passing his skills along to his son.  If he was given a challenge he’d figure it out to make it work.  He retired as a teacher in 1992 and moved to Grove City, PA.

In 1998 he married his high school sweetheart Sara (Sally) Adams Winland.  They enjoyed many Road Scholar opportunities, cruises to Alaska, the Panama Canal, the Caribbean, the Mediterranean, and vacation time Arizona and with their families.  Usually traveling by car they rarely went directly to their destination in order to see all they could along the journey.

Bob was a member of the First Presbyterian Church of Sharon serving as an Elder and was a member of the Scout Committee.  He was most proud of his four children, his three grandchildren, his step-children and grandchildren.  He was a man with a great sense of humor who loved his family and his life.

He leaves behind to cherish his memories his wife Sara “Sally” Winland; daughters Cynthia Faun Sopher of Titusville, PA, Julia Olsiewski of Marion, MA; Marcy Sopher of Oil City, PA; and his son Matthew Denton Sopher and his wife Stacey LaVerde of Oil City, PA; his grandchildren Ellie Massey Titusville, PA, Matthew Denton Sopher III U.S. Navy, and Evelyn Sopher of Oil City, PA; his step-children Mark Winland and his wife Beth of Houston, TX, Robert Winland and his wife Denise of Windsor, CT, and Cynthia (Winland) Block of Chicago, IL; and his step-grandchildren David, Katie, Matthew, Peter, Elizabeth, and Maggie (Danny) Hooley; and great-grandaughter Vivian Hooley.

His sisters Frances Herring and her husband Robert of Humble, TX and Evelyn Robertson of The Villages, FL; sister-in-law Carolyn Sopher Martin of Pittsburgh, PA; and by six nieces and six nephews.

His parents and brothers Matthew E. Sopher and his wife Alice, and C. Richard Sopher; brother-in-law Michael Robertson; son-in-law Henry Olsiewski; and step-son John Winland preceded him in death.

Friends may call on Saturday April 9, 2016 1:00 pm to 2:00 pm in the Willson Parlor of the First Presbyterian Church of Sharon 600 East State Street Sharon, PA 16146.

A Memorial Service will begin at 2:00PM with Rev. Dr. Glenn M. Hink officiating.

Memorials may be sent to First Presbyterian Church of Sharon, Sharon Regional Health System Hospice or to the charity of the donors choice.

Arrangements are under the direction of the Sample- O'Donnell Funeral Home at 555 East State Street in Sharon, PA.