Robert M. (Bob) Tanner Jr. was born on July 13, 1938, to Margaret and Robert Moore Tanner Sr. in Braden, TN. He passed away peacefully on Tuesday, November 5, 2024 in Kennewick, WA, at the age of 86.

In 1944, Bob moved with his parents from Tennessee to Richland, WA where he attended Richland schools, graduating from Columbia High School in 1956. While in high school, Bob met Ruthie White, whom he married in February 1957. The high school sweethearts were married for 56 years, and Bob cared for Ruth before her passing in July 2013.

Bob entered the Navy after high school and was stationed in San Diego for two years. After being discharged, the couple moved back to Richland, where Bob started what would become an extensive career working at Hanford. Bob and Ruth raised a family which included daughters Diana and Shelley, and son Rob. In 1971, the family moved to Stevensville, MI, when Bob accepted a job at the DC Cook Nuclear Power Plant. A year later, they moved to Barrington, RI where Bob worked as a construction engineer building power plants. In 1973, the family moved back to Richland where Bob worked the remainder of his career at Hanford until his retirement from Fluor Daniel in 1999.

One of Bob’s loves was racing. He raced motorcycles, flat tracking in San Diego where he once met Evil Knievel and actor James Garner. He also drove ‘Old 99’ race car for his friend (and milkman) Chuck Heaton at Tri-City Raceway in the early 70’s. The kids distinctly remember him rolling the car as he entered the back straightway and the dirt flying as he left the pavement. Thankfully, he wasn’t hurt.

While the living in Richland, one of the family’s favorite pastimes was boating on the Columbia River with friends. Running upriver to the dunes at Ringold to waterski and picnic and anchoring out to watch the boat races were favorites. In those days, the kids enjoyed riding home in the back of the pickup, after a long day on the river.

In the early 70s, Bob coached Diana and Shelley’s softball team and the family followed Rob’s Grid Kids football team up and down the Yakima Valley. The family’s love of sports resulted in becoming fans of the WSU Cougars, Seahawks, Sonics and Golden State Warriors, Mariners and NASCAR. They attended Seahawks and Mariners games on occasion as a family and went to the Indy 500 in the early 70’s, while living in SE Michigan.

In 1980, Bob’s parents bought an A-frame cabin shell on Silver Lake near Spokane. With Bob’s many skills, he designed and finished the inside of the cabin. We all remember holding drywall up while it was being nailed into place. Bob and son Rob built a dock for the cabin, and we all enjoyed fishing off the dock on opening day, trolling for trout in the aluminum boat, waterskiing and swimming.

Bob also had many odd jobs over the years including driving a tow truck for his friend, Ray Switzer, and waxing the floors at the Gaslight Tavern where he would make pepperoni and dill pickle pizzas for the family on Sundays.

Bob was a life member of the Richland Masonic Lodge and served as Master of the Lodge in 1979.

For years, Bob and his brother, Bill, enjoyed shooting together and served as officers of the Pasco Rifle and Pistol Club for 10 years. During that time, Bob recorded the club members’ competition scores and submitted them to Spokesman-Review. Bob and Bill also orchestrated the club move from the Pasco airport location to the new club building.

In 1994, Bob and Ruth built their dream home on 1.25 acres in West Richland with Bob acting as General Contractor and Bob and Bill wiring the house themselves. The property gave them space to raise cows, and they welcomed calves on two occasions. The first two cows were named Cowboy and Lucy by granddaughter Brianna.

In retirement, Bob and Ruth enjoyed taking car trips around the greater Northwest, Hawaii, spring training in Arizona and to Arkansas to visit family. They took a float plane to Knight’s Inlet, BC for a fishing trip and Bob and son, Rob, enjoyed a trip to Sitka, Alaska to fish for salmon and halibut. In 2007, Bob and Ruth enjoyed a 50^th Anniversary trip to San Diego where they met up with longtime friends who they had met when stationed there.

Bob was fortunate to be able to live at home until moving to assisted living for the last few months of his life.

Bob is preceded in death by his parents Robert and Margaret Tanner and his loving wife Ruth. Bob is survived by his brother Bill, his daughters Diana and Shelley (Kerby) and son Rob (Claudine), 5 grandchildren and 10 great-grandchildren. Bob is also survived by his lifelong friend/brother Bill Rowe (Erna).

A celebration of life to honor Bob will be held on November 23, 2024, at 1:00 pm at Einan’s Sunset Funeral Home Chapel, Building H, located at 915 Bypass Highway, Richland, where friends and family can share memories and comfort one another.

The family would like to express their heartfelt appreciation to the caregivers at Horse Heaven Adult Family Home for the exemplary care provided to Bob and the family.

Bob will be remembered for ability to fix most anything, his dry sense of humor, his love of sports, his care of wife Ruth and his guidance through life’s challenges.

In lieu of flowers, please donate in Bob’s name to Richland Masonic Lodge or St Jude’s Children’s Hospital.