ROBERT JAMES WINTERS .January 30, 1928 - Jul 27, 2009 We are sad to announce the passing at Royal Inland Hospital of a very special man with his family near his side. Bob Winters is survived by his wife of 62 years, Vera, son Marty (Mary Jo), daughters Sharon and Linda, grandchildren Amanda, Matt, Daryl, Paul, Jason and Melissa and great grandchildren Natasha, Austin, Mitchel, Sidney and Pierson. Also two brothers Gordon and Stan (Marion) and his sister Betty (Dick). Bob was born in Calgary and raised in Langdon, AB where he married Vera Martin on August 2, 1947. He spent several years in the oil patch until 1955 when they settled in Red Deer to raise their family. Bob owned and operated several businesses there including Red Deer Boat & Marine and Sylvan Lake Marina and was for many years involved with the Junior Chamber of Commerce and Red Deer Curling Club. In 1968, Bob and Vera moved to Kamloops to start a new endeavour called Public's Own Market. They operated this business until 1992 when they both retired. Bob's true enjoyment in life revolved around family, friends and sports (not necessarily in that order). He believed strongly that involvement in sports builds strong character, lifelong friendships and many lessons in striving to do more and better in all that you do. He has, for many years, been involved and supported the Kamloops Blazers, Sandpipers, Sundevils baseball and more recently the TRU Wolfpack. In 1991, he was recognized as Sports Person of the Year by Kamloops Sports Council and on April 19, 2005, he was honoured to be inducted into the Kamloops Sports Hall of Fame. Our family would like to thank the nurses and doctors of RIH Emergency and ICU. Please join our family at a Celebration of Bob's life to be held at 2:30 p.m. on Tuesday, August 4, 2009 at Desert Gardens, 554 Seymour Street. Should friends desire, donations in Bob's memory may be made to Thompson Rivers University Foundation, Sports Department, 900 McGill Road, Kamloops, B.C. V2C 5N3. On-line condolences may be expressed at http://www.schoenings.com. Cremation arrangements entrusted to Schoening Funeral Service, telephone 250-374-1454