Robert Hood Saunders
Plot Q, Lot 207
Mount Pleasant Cemetery, Toronto
Bob Saunders was born on May 30, 1903 in Toronto and educated in the local school system. He obtained his degree in law and was called to the bar in 1927. Eight years later, Saunders tried his hand at municipal politics and was successful, being elected alderman for Ward Four from 1935 to 1940 (except 1938 and 1939), and controller from 1941 to 1944. In the 1945 municipal elections, he defeated the incumbent becoming the city’s chief magistrate. Saunders was mayor until February of 1948 when he resigned to become the chairman of Ontario Hydro. Although he had no formal training in any of the engineering disciplines it was Saunders who was responsible in great measure for Ontario Hydro’s Niagara River power developments at Queenston, and for instigating a long sought after start on the massive St. Lawrence Seaway and Power project. It was while travelling on Ontario Hydro business that Saunders was killed when the ice-encrusted Grumman Mallard aircraft in which he was a passenger crashed while approaching the London, Ontario airport. The accident occurred early in the morning of January 15. 51-year-old Robert Hood Saunders succumbed to his injuries the following day, January 16, 1955.
Mike Filey
Mount Pleasant Cemetery: An Illustrated Guide
Second Edition Revised and Expanded