Roy M. Sanborn

Roy M. Sanborn, 81, died Friday,August 19, 2011 at his home was born on July 29, 1930 in Richmond Vermont son of Lorzeno and Gwenneth (Houston) Sanborn. Roy spent his youth in Bennington, VT, graduating from North Bennington High School in 1948. Roy married his high school sweetheart (together since 5th. grade) Mary Jane Friendship in 1952. While enrolled at the University of Vermont, Roy joined the United States Army and fought during the Korean War being awarded the Bronze Star. He left the Army as a Captainand CompanyCommander. He graduated the University of Maine in 1957 with a degree in Forestry. Roy and Mary Jane moved back to Shaftsbury, Vtand became the owners and operators of the Shaftsbury GeneralStore, the Sanborn Logging Company and welcomed the birth of their son, Bruce.Roy joined the U.S. Forestry Service and they moved to California where he was a forestry fire fighter. After the Forestry Service, Roy took his love of the outdoors and joined the National Park Service. His years in the National Park Service took the family to the most amazing national parks in the United States including an assignment as the Fire Control Officer at Sequoia National Park in California.Roy was a member of the search and rescue team at Mount Ranier where he climbed to the summit numerous times. The National Park Service took him to Mt. McKinley National Park in Fairbanks Alaska, where he also made the climb to the summit and welcomed the birth of their daughter, Jennifer. After years of working in Anchorage, Roy became the first Superintendent of Lake Clark National Park and later became the Superintendent of Katmai National Park. As a pilot, Roy flewfloat planes throughout the Alaskan Bush. In 1981 he was awarded the Alaska Bush Pilots Award for the most hours flown in a float plane, giving private wilderness tours to heads of state and government dignitaries. In 1982 Roy was promoted to Superintendent at Cumberland Gap National Historical Park in Middlesboro, Kentucky that included bringing the much anticipated Cumberland Gap Tunnel from Kentucky to Tennessee to fruition. While in Kentucky, Roy was commissioned as a Kentucky Colonel by the Governor of Kentucky for his service to the betterment of the State. In 1988 Roy retired from the National Park Service and relocated his family back to his homestate of Vermont and settled into a small farm in Newbury, Vermont.After a few years of retirement, Roy took a position driving a snow plow for the Town of Hanover until 1998. Roy passed away at his home on Friday, August 19, 2011 surrounded by his family. Roy is survived by his son Bruce Sanborn and daughter-in-law Susan, grandsons Casey and Kody Sanborn of Newbury, VT; his daughter Jennifer Sanborn Packard, son-in-law Richard and grandchildren Samantha and Riley Packard of Wilder, VT , as well as two sisters, Arlene Scott and Phyllis Morris in Florida and numerous cousins, nieces, nephews and friends who have been lucky enough to know him. Roy was pre-deceased by his wife Mary Jane, his parents and two sisters, Sylvia McKinney of Boston, MA and Pauline Mangan of Arlington, VT.Graveside funeral services will be held on Wednesday, August 24, 2011 at 11am in the Townhouse Cemetery in Newbury, VT. In lieu of flowers, donations can be made in his memory to the Parkinson 's DiseaseFoundation. The Hale Funeral Home of Bradford, VT is in charge of arrangements To plant Memorial Trees in memory of Roy M. Sanborn, please click here to visit our Sympathy Store.

Tributes

Roy M. Sanborn

July 29, 1930 - August 19, 2011