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In Memory of Retired Detective Bob Poiry

The Toledo Police Museum lost a good friend on Thanksgiving Day, November 23, 2017, when retired Detective Robert Poiry passed away.

Bob was born January 4, 1939, in Arcadia, Ohio. On April 1, 1963, he was appointed to the Toledo Police Department. He was assigned to the Detective Bureau on May 1, 1970 where he spent the rest of his career, and after serving for 29 years, Bob retired on August 27, 1992.

 

His intuitive artistic talents were put to use when he became the first sketch artist for the department. He designed the Toledo Police Patrolman's logo and the F.O.P. Old Timers posters from 1975 until present. He combined his quick humor and artistic talents to create many personalized cartoons and comics throughout his career, and created The Shield Newspaper in 1971. Click here to learn more about The Shield.

Bob also custom built and installed the jail cell in the Toledo Police Museum, the painted signs for the annual Cops and Rodders Car Show, and designed and installed the sign that directs visitors into the museum. He will be missed.

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Department photos of Officer/Detective Robert Poiry

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Bob (in white t-shirt) installing the Toledo Police Museum sign (which he designed and created) with the help of retired Officer Bill Kellar and Officer Robert Kay. (2011)

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Bob (in white t-shirt again) installing the jail cell he designed and built at his home then transferred to the museum. Helping him are his son, John and retired Officer Bill Kellar.

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Bob created the Cops and Rodders Car Show Sign (twice, but that is a long story) used for the annual show held at the Toledo Police Museum each June. The logo/cartoon was created by Bob's protege and good friend, Detective Terry Cousino. Both men are incredibly talented and share their gifts generously. To see the work of Detective Cousino, click here.

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Bob was also a participant in the Cops and Rodders Car Show with his beloved Miss Tillie, a 1930 Model A Ford 5 Window Deluxe Coupe.

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Retired Detective John Wirth (now deceased) was at the museum one day when a happenstance meeting occurred between himself and Bob Poiry.

 

As the two were catching up, Bob brought up a cartoon he had created documenting a humorous police call that Wirth had been on many, many years before. The two had a good laugh before Bob got to work and John disappeared out the door, mumbling something like "I have that cartoon in my trunk . . ."

 

Within a minute, John was back with the cartoon, in pretty shabby condition but hey, who knows how long it had been in the trunk of John's car! Jaws dropped, laughter erupted and a photo op could not be denied! This is the result.

On August 2, 2014, The Travel Channel aired an episode of "The Dead Files" named "Demon Wars". Part of the episode was filmed in the Toledo Police Museum with none other than our Bob Poiry. The episode documented the corrupt and troubled history of the previous owners of a home on Toledo's East Side. To see the episode of the Travel Channel's Dead Files, click here.

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Bob at the grand opening of the Toledo Police Museum in June of 2011.

You will be missed, friend.

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