Robert D. "Bob" Shaner

Bob Shaner, a former Tumwater High School teacher and multisport coach who later became an administrator, died Friday after a two-year battle with pancreatic cancer. He was 80. Shaner spent part of four decades at the high school, starting in 1961. He coached baseball, football and basketball before taking on the school’s athletic director role in the early 1980s. He retired in 1993.

Pat Alexander, the T-Birds’ longtime defensive coordinator who also coached wrestling and taught with Shaner, described Shaner as a good friend and a “really classy guy” who made a huge impact on Tumwater athletics. He also did extensive work with the Washington Interscholastic Activities Association as a state championship event manager in football and basketball. “If there was anything that needed to be done, he always did it,” Alexander said. “He was one of those guys that always worried that everything would be right. … He always wanted to make sure we did it right.”

Following Shaner’s retirement in ’93, the annual Tumwater track and field invitational was renamed the Bob Shaner Invitational by then-head track and field coach Steve Shoun. A year later, Shaner was inducted into the Washington Secondary School Athletic Administrators Association’s Hall of Fame.

On Friday night, the Tumwater football team held a pregame moment of silence prior to its nonleague contest with Lake City (Coeur d’Alene, Idaho) in honor of Shaner. “He was one of those blue-collar, early founding fathers of what athletics has become,” said Jamie Weeks, the football team’s veteran offensive coordinator, head baseball coach and the school’s activities coordinator. “He was very pro-coach and very supportive.”

At Mossyrock High School in the early 1950s, Shaner was a standout in football, basketball, and track and field.

Robert Daniel Shaner, 80, died at home in Olympia, Washington on Friday, September 26, 2014. After a long battle with cancer, he went home to be with our Lord.

He was born June 30, 1934 in Mossyrock, Washington to Hannah and Tom Shaner. Bob attended Mossyrock Hight School graduating in 1953. As an amazing athlete he earned 15 letters, All State Football, All American Football, and was a multi-event State medalist. On September 26, 1953, Bob marred Beulah Blankenship (Boo) with whom he enjoyed a lifelong romance. He attended Centralia College and Eastern Washington University, graduating in 1957.

Following graduation, Bob taught at White Pass High School (1957-62) and served as Football, Track, and Basketball Coach. Thereafter, Bob secured a position at Tumwater where he served for 31 years (1962-93) as Teacher, Coach, and 16 years as Athletic Director. Completing his tenure with the Tumwater School District, Bob worked at New Market Vocational Skill Center for 4 years (Building Trade 1993-96).

After his retirement, Bob continued to be actively involved in community athletics: WIAA State Football and Basketball, Tournament Manager 17 years.

Being a very humble man, Bob never spoke of his accolades but he received many awards in his lifetime including WIAA Athletic Director Hall of Fame (1994), Tumwater High School Athletic Hall of Fame, Centralia College Sports Hall of Fame, YMCA Life Time Achievement Award 2004, and the Bob Shaner Invitational Track Meet held annually in his honor.

Bob loved his community and gave a lifetime of service through the Lions, Elks Youth Program, Babe Ruth Baseball, and countless others. He was also an active member of the United Methodist Church.

Survivors include beloved wife Boo (61 years of marriage), Olympia, WA; daughter Kimila (Vince) Tangherlini, Rancho Santa Margarita, CA; son Kevin (Mary), Boise, ID; son Kyle Thomas (Cindy), Olympia, WA; son Kraig (Jenifer), Olympia, WA. Grandchildren: Dr. Samantha Jo (David) Abair, Monrovia, CA; Kyle Robert Shaner, Enid OK; Luke Shaner, Seattle, WA; Vinny Tangherlini, Irvine, CA; Hunter Shaner, Olympia, WA ; Robert Tangherlini, Irvine, CA; Sydney Shaner, Olympia, WA . Bother-in-laws and Sister-in laws: Lon and Patrician Blankenship, Sherri and Wayne Rash as well as numerous nieces and nephews. Bob was preceded in death by his dear parents Tom and Hannah Shaner.

A quiet, honest man, Bob will be remembered for his strength of character, integrity, and indomitable spirit. He was a devoted family man and a loyal friend. He love nature and the outdoors and was an avid fisherman, hunter, and woodsman. Bob lived life courageously and honorably.

Services will be held at Tumwater High School Gymnasium, 700 Israel Road SW, Tumwater, Washington, Saturday, October 4th at 11:00 AM.

Memorial contributions are welcome at Providence St. Peter Foundation, Attn: Hospice Fund, 413 Lilly Road NE, Olympia, WA 98506 or your favorite charity.

Heartfelt thanks to the many special friends and relatives and relative for your love and support. He will be missed by many.

"Death has no power over him anymore." Romans 6:9

Robert “Bob” Shaner passed away on Friday after a 2-year battle with cancer. Mr. Shaner was a long time Teacher, Coach and Athletic Director at Tumwater High School. He spent countless hours in preparing and supporting all sports at THS and set the example that all AD’s hope they can attain. Mr. Shaner and his wife Beulah who was also a long time Tumwater School District employee as the main secretary at Tumwater Jr High, later re-named Tumwater Middle School, had 3 sons and a daughter that all graduated as T-Birds, Kim, Kevin, Kyle and Kraig. Through his children and their wives Mr. Shaner also was able to watch and support many grandchildren who have gone through the Tumwater system.

ESN talked with longtime Tumwater Head Football Coach Sid Otton who says Shaner was more than a boss, he was a great friend. Otton was hired in 1974 by then Athletic Director Chuck Loete. Otton’s initial years at Tumwater were spent trying to turn around a program that had struggled for more than a decade since THS was built in 1961. Otton says during some rough times Shaner would take him Elk hunting up near Mt. St. Helens prior to the eruption to some Elk hunting. Otton says Shaner gave him his full support and felt blessed to work for him believing many others would have decided it was time to make a change.

Shaner grew up and graduated from Mossyrock High School where he learned his love of the outdoors and was an avid hunter and fisherman. When he needed to think or reflect he would return to his roots. Otton says that’s also where he took his kids and grand kids and taught them many of life’s lessons. Shaner would bring that same love of life, blue collar hard working ethic and honesty to his classroom and school.

Shaner also had a side to him that was easy to miss because of his love of sports and his work as an award winning Athletic Director. We are all aware of the different cliques in high school and you would think Shaner was only focused on what were known as the “jocks”. Nothing could be further from the truth, Shaner also a great craftsman spent many hours educating and working with kids that were not athletes but more focused on the industrial arts programs and not to be cliché but many of those students were many times not focused on academics and may be more know for partying than an athletic achievement but it didn’t matter to Shaner, he would be equally as proud of those kids who completed a difficult project and he was always there to help and encourage them to be successful in what they were doing, athletics or not.

ESN also talked with Black Hills counselor Tom Beattie who played baseball for Shaner. Beattie says Coach Shaner may have been a little gruff at times and would tell you things you may not want to hear but would then immediately encourage you and be your biggest cheer leader to go out and perform your best. Beattie re-called a moment in his junior year when the T-Bird football team was facing Capital in a play-in game to get to the State Tournament for the first time in THS history back in 1977. On a 4th down with Capital driving for the go-ahead and likely winning TD, Beattie sliced threw the offensive line and tackled the Cougar running back for a loss and the game was over sending Tumwater to State. Beattie says he just unpiled from the tackle when he was hit from behind with a jubilant fan. It took a few moments for Beattie to see it was his Athletic Director Bob Shaner who had smothered him in the end zone, a moment he says is burned in his memory.

After Shaner retired he remained very active with the WIAA and state play-offs. ESN talked with WIAA Executive Director Mike Colbrese who told us Bob Shaner was an on-going champion of student participation. He says as much interest and emphasis there was on winning and getting to the State Play-offs Shaner was always looking out for the best interest of all kids and students in making sure as many as possible had the opportunity to participate.

Colbrese says Shaner then became an integral part of the State Basketball Tournaments at the Tacoma Dome and eventually Football and Mat Classic. He says there was a real comfort in knowing a great portion of these events were handled by Shaner and they knew he would get the job done and do it well. It was nice to know they didn’t have to worry about whatever Shaner was overseeing and it was a real honor to work with Bob but more importantly to know him as an educator and as a friend.

Current Tumwater Athletic Director Tim Graham gave ESN this statement, “He was an outstanding mentor to me as an Athletic Director and Tournament Event Manager at the state level. I could not have asked for a better example of how the right way to be an AD. His passion for kids and caring of others are examples of his quality character.”

Shaner is a member of the Washington State School Administrators Hall of Fame, he is a winner of the Garreth Giles award, an award given to the person who most contributed to student activities and athletics and was inducted into the Tumwater Hall of Fame in 2012. The longtime Tumwater invitational track meet was re-named in 1993 to the Shaner Invitational following his retirement.

Say fans, as we prepare to listen to our national anthem we ask you to join together for a moment of silence in observance of Bob Shaner who passed away last night after his courageous battle with cancer. Bob taught, coached, and served as Athletic Director at Tumwater High School from 1962 through 1993! In that time Bob became an icon of class and sportsmanship, and was recognized as a leader in high school athletics throughout the state by coaches and peers alike. As a tribute to his impact on youth athletics, the annual track and field meet hosted by THS each spring was renamed in 1993 to be called the “Bob Shaner Invitational”.

Here is the complete text from Tumwater P-A Announcer Jared Burbridge prior to a moment of silence from Friday night's T-Bird footfall game:

"Throughout his career at THS, and for 16 years after his retirement, Bob was involved in the governance and management of the Washington Interscholastic Athletic Association (WIAA) – the governing body of high school athletics in Washington State. After retirement Bob continued to work for the WIAA as tournament director for statewide tournaments in boys and girls basketball, football, wrestling, and fastpitch.

In 1990 he received the National Interscholastic Athletic Association Washington State Award of Merit. In 1994 he was inducted into the Washington State Athletic Director’s Hall of Fame. He was twice named District IV Athletic Director of the year (1987 & 1992), and in 2004 he received the YMCA Lifetime Achievement award for his dedication and support of youth athletics. In 2011 he was elected as a member of the Tumwater High School Athletic Hall of Fame. He was an active member of the Lions Club, Elks Youth Program, and Babe Ruth Baseball.

Our thoughts and prayers are with his wife, Boo, his children, and grandchildren during this time of passing and celebration of a life dedicated to athletics, family, and the pursuit of excellence. We love you Bob! Please join in a moment of silence."