Bob “RJ” Schunter was only 12 years old when he started working in the forest industry – loading and skidding poles and logs at Sugar Lake for his dad, Bill Schunter.
RJ’s grandparents, Ernest and Mathilda Schunter came to Canada in the late 1800’s from Germany, finally settling on a 320 acre homestead at Sugar Lake in 1909. They would have 8 children: Kris, Fred, Bill, Ernie, Tilly, Caroline, Martha and Buster.
Ernest and Mathilda’s grandson, RJ married Vera Baines in 1957 and continued to work with his dad in the forest industry until 1977 when RJ formed a new company: R.J. Schunter Contracting Ltd. Through hard work, RJ became one of the largest, most respected and successful logging companies in the Interior.
Today RJ’s company remains highly successful and is managed by his family. RJ and Vera had 7 children: Terry, Robbie, Rusty, Wendy, Barbara, Dawn and Stacey. RJ passed away in 2021 and Vera in 2024.
