Robert A Sawyer

Robert Alan “Bob” Sawyer, 71, died on September 30, 2026, one day shy of his 72nd birthday.

Bob was born on October 1, 1954, in North Adams, MA, son of the late Gerald and Anna (Mason) Sawyer. He spent the first eight years of his life there before moving to Great Barrington, where he graduated from Monument Mountain Regional High School (Class of 1973).

A gifted woodworker, Bob spent many years working with his hands and had an exceptional eye for detail and craftsmanship. Among the more memorable chapters of his working life were nearly ten years as caretaker of a large estate in Salisbury, CT. Later in life, his varied interests and abilities took him in several different part-time directions. He worked as a Certified Nursing Assistant, tended bar, maintained grounds for DCR at Mohawk Trail State Forest, and drove the BRTA’s purple paratransit van before retiring, a job in which he deeply enjoyed helping people in need.

More than any job he held, however, Bob will be remembered for his personality, stories, and ability to make people laugh. He had a great sense of humor and a story for nearly every occasion. He had a special way with children, meeting them on their level and finding simple ways to entertain them. All it took was a magic trick, a silly face, a joke, or one of the harmonicas he always seemed to have tucked away somewhere to make a child laugh. Dogs were frequently an equally appreciative audience for his harmonica performances; his yellow lab Babe would often howl along with him.

He was happiest outdoors. Bob loved camping, deep-sea fishing, the ocean, and just about everything associated with it, including seafood. A trip to Mexico also sparked a lasting fascination with Mexican and Mayan culture.

Bob took great pride in hard work and in doing things well. He passed those values on to his son, Ryan, teaching him the importance of work ethic, organization, attention to detail, and the belief that if you wanted something in life, you had to be willing to work hard and relentlessly pursue it.

Bob leaves behind his daughter, Jennifer Favors of Pompano Beach, FL, and her children, Kiana, Isaiah, Xavier, and Zachary Favors, and great-grandchildren; his son, Ryan and his wife Sarah Sawyer of Pittsfield, MA, and his grandsons, Cole and Trey Sawyer; his younger brother, John Sawyer of Lee, MA; and his niece and nephew, Brianna and Austin Sawyer. He especially cherished being “Pepere” to his grandsons, Cole and Trey, who brought him tremendous happiness later in life.

Those who knew Bob will remember a man who could build beautiful things with his hands, tell a good, edgy, and sometimes inappropriate story, make people laugh, and find an easy connection with children and animals. For his family, there will also be countless smaller memories: the routine sound of blues rock music, a story heard more than once with a new detail each time, an interesting adventure, or one of his tricks, jokes, or catchy phrases that will continue to bring Bob to mind for years to come.