Robert Motta

Robert Peter Motta (Sowash)1935-2022

Born April 04, 1935 in Woodland, CA, Robert (Bob) was a loving husband and respected friend of all who knew him. He is survived by his loving wife, best friend, and soul-mate Ruth, step children, David Welch (Trisha), Cheryl Welch, Grandson Daniel Cazac, grand children, Thyge Knutson (Kathleen), Ryke Knutson, Olivia Knutson, Finnian Welch, Nicola Welch, Joel Conner and Aunnica Conner and three great grand children along with many members of the Jacob’s family.

Bob was preceded in death by his parents, Peter Motta, and June Jacobs and beloved wife, Shirley A. Sowash.

Bob was a man of many talents and interests. After attending Hartnell College in Salinas, CA he decided to move to Alaska. He entered the construction trade and began building houses and storage units. Other opportunities opened and, using his skills as an expert shooter, he began hunting for large game at which he was very successful. During that time, he was President for three years of AK Builders Association and President of Pacific International Trap Shooting Association in Anchorage Alaska. While living in Alaska he used his remarkable marksmanship, becoming a big game hunter capturing numerous and notable prize- winning trophy heads of local game. Next came Kona, Hawaii as he headed for warmer weather, living there for several years with his family. He used his Morgan41 to transport fishermen looking for the big fish. He captured a trophy 600 lb. Blue Marlin sailfish which he hung with great pride in his home for everyone to admire. Upon returning to the states, he continued in the construction trades in NJ, TX, CA, AK, and NV. He built numerous homes and commercial buildings throughout his career. As new opportunities came his way, he invested in the bullet business and after five years he sold his business to Olin/Winchester with top patents covering all sabots, shotgun, rifle, pistol within the Winchester industry. Eventually he sold the bullet business and Bob, by then living in Las Vegas, became a gambler and an investor coming thirteenth in the World Series of Poker in Las Vegas. He was a resident of Las Vegas for over 30 years and after retiring from the construction trades he became a top seller of real estate in Las Vegas. With the help of George, his best friend of over fifty years, they became a true success story in the real estate market.

He was fortunate to find his birth family (Motta) at the age of 72 yrs. with the help of his beloved Aunt Mary and Jim Motta of CA. He learned that his father died fighting in WWII and was buried in Belgium. Yet, it was the Jacobs family who cared and nurtured him with love and compassion as he grew up.