Richard Callister Sant, age 85, passed away peacefully at his home in Bend, Oregon, surrounded by loved ones, after a 13-year battle with severe frontotemporal dementia.
He was preceded in death by his parents, Richard and Jayne (Callister) Sant, and by his sister, Elizabeth Finley (John).
Richard is survived by his wife of 65 years, Suzanne (Heim) Sant; his four children, Stephanie Martindale (Ron), Rebecca White (Jay), James Sant, and Chad Sant (partner, Susan); his brother, William Sant (Janice); and 32 grandchildren, great-grandchildren, nieces, and nephews.
Richard was born on March 27, 1940, in Salt Lake City, Utah, to Jayne and Richard Sant. He was the oldest of three children.
Richard grew up in Salt Lake City and graduated from East High School in 1958. While serving in the Army Reserve and working construction, he met his best friend and future wife, Suzanne, at a church picnic during the summer of 1958. After he finished his military duty, he went to work as a baker and became a partner with his father at Jayne's Bakery.
In 1969, Richard migrated to Alaska in search of work on the North Slope oilfields. After accepting a job as a baker, he became a Teamster business agent, administering the Training Trust and dedicating himself to organizing fellow workers. The rest of his immediate family followed shortly after.
In 1979, Richard and his wife became successful Kenai River salmon fishing guides, assisted by their son, James. Their charter business was named Chinook Charters, but was later renamed Paradise Charters.
After Richard retired from the Teamsters and guiding, he and his wife began sailing in and around Resurrection Bay and Prince William Sound. He became President of Sailing, Inc. Sailing Club and Commodore of the William H. Seward Yacht Club. Many family members and friends remember cruising or competitively racing around Resurrection Bay with the Sants in their 36-foot Beneteau sailing yacht, "Serendipity."
In 1993, Richard had a stroke which slowed him down quite a bit. Over the next few decades, Richard managed to continue working as a school bus driver, a tour bus driver, and then as a special needs bus attendant. When it became clear his mental and physical abilities were regressing, Richard decided to stop working and begin focusing more on health and wellness. He and Sue migrated once again in 2012, this time from Willow, Alaska to Bend, Oregon. In 2013, he was officially diagnosed with moderate vascular/frontotemporal dementia. Their son Chad retired from his teaching job with the Anchorage School District in 2018 and followed Sue and Richard to Bend, where he joined Suzanne as a primary caretaker for Richard.
In his autumn years, Richard found joy in baking delectable breads and preparing annual holiday gifts for delivery to his neighbors and friends (including his family favorite: stollen). He also spent many hours sharpening his fly-tying skills and escaping to the beautiful lakes and rivers around Bend, fishing for rainbow, bull, and brown trout with his children and grandchildren. When the rigors of fly fishing became too much, Richard still enjoyed sitting on the dock at Walton Lake bait fishing and occasionally out-fishing whoever was lucky enough to accompany him. His children and grandchildren will always cherish his generous outdoor lessons and stories. Other hobbies and passions included many genres of music (especially classical), playing piano, training retrievers, waterfowl hunting, reading fiction and historical novels, saltwater fishing, crafting silver and bronze jewelry, and watching golf, football, baseball, and the Olympics.
Those who knew Richard will remember him for his infectious smile and his unwavering commitment to spreading joy and kindness to everyone he encountered. He had a rare gift for making others laugh, leaving a lasting impact on all who crossed his path. Richard was inviting, easy-going, and young at heart. He was also a very articulate speaker and was often invited to visit high school classrooms to educate students about the history of labor and the important contributions of labor unions in the U.S. and around the world.
Memorial contributions in his name may be made to Partners in Care. (website: https://www.partnersbend.org/)
He was preceded in death by his parents, Richard and Jayne (Callister) Sant, and by his sister, Elizabeth Finley (John).
Richard is survived by his wife of 65 years, Suzanne (Heim) Sant; his four children, Stephanie Martindale (Ron), Rebecca White (Jay), James Sant, and Chad Sant (partner, Susan); his brother, William Sant (Janice); and 32 grandchildren, great-grandchildren, nieces, and nephews.
Richard was born on March 27, 1940, in Salt Lake City, Utah, to Jayne and Richard Sant. He was the oldest of three children.
Richard grew up in Salt Lake City and graduated from East High School in 1958. While serving in the Army Reserve and working construction, he met his best friend and future wife, Suzanne, at a church picnic during the summer of 1958. After he finished his military duty, he went to work as a baker and became a partner with his father at Jayne's Bakery.
In 1969, Richard migrated to Alaska in search of work on the North Slope oilfields. After accepting a job as a baker, he became a Teamster business agent, administering the Training Trust and dedicating himself to organizing fellow workers. The rest of his immediate family followed shortly after.
In 1979, Richard and his wife became successful Kenai River salmon fishing guides, assisted by their son, James. Their charter business was named Chinook Charters, but was later renamed Paradise Charters.
After Richard retired from the Teamsters and guiding, he and his wife began sailing in and around Resurrection Bay and Prince William Sound. He became President of Sailing, Inc. Sailing Club and Commodore of the William H. Seward Yacht Club. Many family members and friends remember cruising or competitively racing around Resurrection Bay with the Sants in their 36-foot Beneteau sailing yacht, "Serendipity."
In 1993, Richard had a stroke which slowed him down quite a bit. Over the next few decades, Richard managed to continue working as a school bus driver, a tour bus driver, and then as a special needs bus attendant. When it became clear his mental and physical abilities were regressing, Richard decided to stop working and begin focusing more on health and wellness. He and Sue migrated once again in 2012, this time from Willow, Alaska to Bend, Oregon. In 2013, he was officially diagnosed with moderate vascular/frontotemporal dementia. Their son Chad retired from his teaching job with the Anchorage School District in 2018 and followed Sue and Richard to Bend, where he joined Suzanne as a primary caretaker for Richard.
In his autumn years, Richard found joy in baking delectable breads and preparing annual holiday gifts for delivery to his neighbors and friends (including his family favorite: stollen). He also spent many hours sharpening his fly-tying skills and escaping to the beautiful lakes and rivers around Bend, fishing for rainbow, bull, and brown trout with his children and grandchildren. When the rigors of fly fishing became too much, Richard still enjoyed sitting on the dock at Walton Lake bait fishing and occasionally out-fishing whoever was lucky enough to accompany him. His children and grandchildren will always cherish his generous outdoor lessons and stories. Other hobbies and passions included many genres of music (especially classical), playing piano, training retrievers, waterfowl hunting, reading fiction and historical novels, saltwater fishing, crafting silver and bronze jewelry, and watching golf, football, baseball, and the Olympics.
Those who knew Richard will remember him for his infectious smile and his unwavering commitment to spreading joy and kindness to everyone he encountered. He had a rare gift for making others laugh, leaving a lasting impact on all who crossed his path. Richard was inviting, easy-going, and young at heart. He was also a very articulate speaker and was often invited to visit high school classrooms to educate students about the history of labor and the important contributions of labor unions in the U.S. and around the world.
Memorial contributions in his name may be made to Partners in Care. (website: https://www.partnersbend.org/)
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