Robert Saunders

Robert Matthew Saunders - dedicated son, brother, husband, father, Jeep enthusiast, and friend - passed away suddenly at the age of 42 in Knoxville, TN on Tuesday, January 3, 2023. Robert was born to Robert (Bob) and Linda Saunders in Canoga Park, CA on July 6, 1980. He graduated from Martin Luther King Jr Magnet School in 1998 before attending The University of Tennessee in Knoxville, TN. At UT, he obtained both a Bachelors and Masters of Science in Civil Engineering. He would go on to spend 20 years kicking ass as a Geotechnical Civil Engineer. Robert and Stephanie met in 2003 and were married on May 10, 2008. They welcomed their first daughter, Josephine, in 2012 and their second daughter, Lillian, in 2015. Through the years, Robert enjoyed many hobbies: playing guitars, fly fishing, photography, golfing, clay shooting, and most recently off-roading. He found immense enjoyment in becoming a garage mechanic - as he rebuild a 1999 Pathfinder and a 2012 Jeep Wrangler Rubicon, and cared for the family's daily drivers. He loved the great outdoors but strongly preferred the beach to the mountains. Not one for board games - he had an immeasurable love for college football. He was never one to pass up a good dad joke or Simpsons reference. Robert is survived by his wife, Stephanie; their daughters, Josephine and Lillian; his twin brother, Richard; his sister, Amy; his mother, Linda; his father Bob; and countless family and friends. He is preceded in death by many loving ancestors and two obnoxious cats - Sophie and Buster.