Robert H. Symonds, 70, Sturgis, SD passed away Tuesday, January 9, 2024, at his home surrounded by family.

Robert Harvey Symonds was born in Sturgis, December 3, 1953, to Robert Earl and Mavis (Fitzgerald) Symonds.  He was one of the first babies born at the Sturgis Hospital.  Rob was very rambunctious as a child.  One time, when he was very little, he ran off and his mother could not find him.  She finally saw their dog, Ringo, at the base of a very large windmill.  She looked up and he had climbed to the top of the windmill.  He had two older sisters who he loved to terrorize when he was little.  His sisters conspired and got even by putting him in a dress with bobby pins and button earrings. Rob liked to tag along with his father to job sites in his young years, he was always running away so to keep him at bay, the crew nailed his shoes to the roof.  He still managed to escape!  One time, the babysitter tied him to the clothesline so she could step away to check on lunch.  When she returned to the clothesline, all that remained was the rope and his shoes.  He lived in Sturgis until the 7th grade, when he moved with his family to Colorado.  He loved living in Colorado, and he was always thinking of ways to drum up money, so he built yard ornaments and sold them one summer.  Missing Sturgis, he moved back while a junior in high school. He was lucky enough to find a place to live with his aunt, uncle and cousins who he dearly loved.  He graduated from Sturgis Brown High School in 1972.  In 1974, some amazing friends set up a date with Robin who he married later in the year.  From the time he was old enough to hammer nails, he learned the carpentry business.  He loved to create and build.  His customers considered him an artist, with the ability to create anything.  He took on the most challenging of tasks.  One job he took on was building a massive house with very complicated roof lines.  He came up with a plan with the roof lines, but the customer sent it to engineers.  The engineers said Rob's plan was the only way it would work.  Rob moved his family to Colorado for a few years in 1985.  The family enjoyed living in Colorado, but Rob was not a fan of the daily commute to Denver.  After moving back to South Dakota, he started to build his family a new home.  He worked all day building a huge house for a customer and then would spend all his evening hours working on the family house.  Life was good.

His favorite pastime was spending time with family and hanging out with friends, especially during the motorcycle rally. He even built a "party room" on the end of the garage for the purpose of entertainment and for out-of-town family and friends to stay in.  He loved working in his yard, boating, camping, and tinkering in his woodshop. One of his favorite projects after retirement was restoring an old sleigh he inherited from a dear friend.

Survivors include his wife, Robin, Sturgis; children, Rhonda (Jim) Bohn, Sturgis, Ryan (Vanessa) Symonds, Norman, OK; granddaughters, Tristin and Madison; grandsons, Conner, Gage and Parker; sisters, Marlene Albertson, Marilyn (Richard) Sass; along with many nieces, nephews, cousins, aunts and uncles.

He was preceded in death by his parents (Bob and Mavis Symonds), his maternal grandparents (Stella and Harvey Fitzgerald), paternal grandparents (Louis and Pearl Symonds) and numerous aunts, uncles and cousins.

In lieu of flowers, the family would like donations to County Drug in Sturgis for those that cannot afford prescription medications.

Click on the link to view service folder