Robert (Bob) Earle Shortt
November 07, 2020
SHORTT, Robert (Bob) Earle – It is with great sadness that we announce the sudden passing of our dear father at home in Bedford on November 7, 2020 in his 80th year.
Son of the late Lawrence and Marjorie Shortt (nee Redmond) of Dartmouth NS. Bob was predeceased by his beloved wife of 48 years Alice (nee Murray) of New Waterford CB, and siblings Joan (Fred) Devan and Ronald Shortt.
Bob is survived by three daughters, Annette (Randy Reinert, Janetville ON), Susanne (Tom Sullivan, Whitby ON), Elaine (John Patterson, Bedford NS) and grandsons Jack, Duncan, and Dylan Patterson all of Bedford. Bob had a close bond with his Murray brothers and sisters-in- law, Lowell (Colleen), Elaine (Joseph) MacDonell, Sharron (Charles) Dolan, Daniel, Justin (Catherine), Jeanine (David) McKinnon, Judith Murray, Debra Murray, Carloyn (Leo) Farrell, Evelyn (David) Eaton. Bob was a proud uncle to his many nieces and nephews in the Devan and Murray families.
Bob often shared memories of growing up freely in Dartmouth with his extended family and friends. In the 1950’s he began hunting partridge in Woodside with a group of teenage friends and they soon began shooting trap and skeet at the Dartmouth Gun Club. Bob would go on to build a career around his passion for the outdoors, shooting sports and fishing. In recent years he was reunited with these childhood friends and picked up easily where they had left off. Thankful for the mentoring he received early on, Bob was always supportive of the ambitions of young people in his life.
Alice and Bob married in 1961. He was a devoted husband and father who welcomed opportunity and change with courage and optimism.
Bob moved his family to BC in 1968 to begin as a salesman with Winchester Corporation. He won his first Canadian Trap Championship (Industry) in Vancouver in 1971. Later, as national sales manager, Bob travelled coast to coast from Cobourg ON where he and Alice raised their daughters and forged rich friendships. In cultivating the shooting sports and hunting business Bob was involved with the Canadian Amateur Trap Assoc. and was instrumental in growing the sport of trapshooting in Canada. After Winchester closed Canadian operations, Bob established two successful sports sales agencies with partners who became lifelong friends. He hunted and fished from Vancouver Island to Newfoundland, Central America to northern Quebec. Bob appreciated the many places his sense of adventure took him, Europe, Asia, Africa, Australia, but perhaps most of all, he loved the Canadian prairies in autumn.
Alice and Bob had three cherished grandsons who illuminated their lives. Grandad Bob was so proud of his boys, watching them on the hockey rink and football field. He was their most devoted fan.
Bob’s final business partnership was with Alice as proprietors of the Salmon Pool Inn on the Margaree River CB. Gregarious and welcoming, Bob thoroughly enjoyed meeting new people and sharing his considerable knowledge of fish and wildlife gained through his life of work, reading, travel and conversation.
Following the profound loss of Alice, Bob continued to reside at the Salmon Pool, buoyed by the warmth and care of the Margaree community. He never lost his spirit or vision for what could be his next project.
Restoration of Atlantic Salmon stocks became Bob’s most fervent cause; he founded Wild Salmon Unlimited with this purpose in 2013.
Gathering no moss, Bob travelled many kilometers with his constant companion, yellow-lab, Tom, riding shotgun. This summer Bob landed his last salmon on the Lower Humber River NL with his grandson Jack and nephew Colin by his side.
Bob was known for his zest for life. Principled and authentic, he was drawn to good and interesting people his whole life. He was deeply loved and will be so missed by his family and fondly remembered by his many friends.
Funeral mass Friday November 20, 2020 at 1:00 pm St. Peters Roman Catholic Church Dartmouth, 10 Maple Street, Dartmouth, Fr. Jim Richards, celebrant. Covid-19 protocols will be in place.
Arrangements have been entrusted to Dartmouth Fiuneral Home. On line condolences by visiting www.dartmouthfuneralhome.ca
If desired, memorial donations may be made to wildsalmonunlimited.com
SERVICES
Funeral Mass
Friday, November 20, 2020
1:00 PM
St. Peters Roman Catholic Church
10 Maple Street
Dartmouth, Nova Scotia B2Y 2X3
Our most sincere sympathies to the family and friends of Robert Bob Earle Shortt November 07 2020..
Death notice for the town of: Dartmouth, Province: Nova Scotia