Meet the 2025 Sunfield Farmers Picnic Grand Marshal, Robert "Bob" Sandborn!

Robert Sandborn (Bob) was selected as the 2025, Grand Marshall, for the Sunfield Farmers Picnic. Bob is the son of Allen, and Meredith Sandborn, formerly of Sunfield, and Ionia. Bob was born in Portland, Michigan in 1942 then spent Eleven years on Tupper Lake Road, in Sunfield from 1944 to 1955, before he moved with his parents and siblings to Ionia, from 1955-1961. After his graduation from Ionia High School in 1961, Bob moved back to Sunfield where he lived with his brother, Bruce, for two years while working at Elliot's IGA, on Main Street until 1963.

In 1961, Bob met Linda Blevins, who was also a Sunfield resident who worked at Elsie Lubitz’s Diner, on Main Street, where they met. They were married at the Sunfield United Methodist Church on June 15, 1963. Bob and Linda spent their lives in Sunfield and have lived in the house on Logan Street since 1968, Linda passed away in 2009.

Bob has six children Teresa (Mike) Hull, Kris (Dale) Porter, Lynn (Melissa) Sandborn, Kim (Marty) Martin, Renee (Kyle) Carigon, and their son, Robert Charles Jr., who passed away at 2 months old.

Bob has 14 Grand Children, Michael, Ryan, Austin and Elizabeth Hull, Zack, Luke and Taylor Porter, Robby and Alyssia Sandborn, Nicholas, Nadia and Chelsea Martin, and Jagger and Kaden Carigon. Bob also has 24 Great-Grand Children.

After Bob left Elliot’s IGA, he went to work at Coke a Cola from 1963 – 1971, where he worked as a route manager. In 1971, he went to work at Jay’s Potato Chips, where he was the Regional Manager until he retired from there in 1998. Bob would often donate chips to various programs in Sunfield, including the Sunfield SPY’s, Lakewood Schools sports programs, and golf outings in the area.

During their time together, Bob and Linda, were foster parents mostly through Eaton County DHS from 1969 – 1994. They served 25 years and opened their home to over 350 children and teens. As a result, Bob and Linda were named the Eaton County Foster Parents of the Year in 1984. Bob then went to work at Shanski Dodge, in Ionia, for 18 years and retired from there in 2015. In 2019, he went to work at his daughter’s restaurant in Ionia, “Linda’s Corner Landing,” which was named after his loving wife, where he worked until the sale of the business in 2024.

Bob has given back to the Sunfield Community in many ways. He has volunteered on many local committees and boards in the Sunfield area. Since 2010 he has served on the Sunfield Fire Department board, he has served on the SPY’s Scholarship Committee since 2018 and has served on the Sunfield United Methodist Church Board of Directors for 15 years, where has been the Board Chair since 2012.

Bob is currently retired and still living in the same house on Logan Street where he enjoys working on his 1957 Buick, refurbishing old tractors and motorcycles. Bob enjoys working in his yard and loves spending time at family functions with his kids, grand kids, and great grandkids.