Donald W. Poppe

My name is Don Poppe, here is a quick synopsis of my really cool and fun life now that I reflect on it. By the way- I am now a ghost - and I’m goin’ around friendly spookin’ people- my family made me promise them that I can only do good spooky pranks on them.

I was born in Saint Mary’s, Ohio on October 20th, 1946. I was the apple of my parents eyes. I adored my parents! They were THE best parents a guy could ask for. My mom loved us all- “everyone she met she loved and did not judge anyone, She always made me feel like we were all her favorite and my dad was my hero. Dad taught me how to shoot, hunt, fish, drive and he was a war hero to me. He flew 38 missions over Germany and never got shot down- he and his men volunteered for the last 10 missions that weren’t required”.

I was the oldest of 4 brothers, David, Mark, Craig and 2 sisters Chris and Linda. I enjoyed messing with all of them and I could because I was the oldest. I was an absolute boy/man and still am just in the ghost form-I have not gotten to my attributes yet which include my sense of humor. I love all of my brothers and sisters and their families, in our own special way and we were very fortunate to have the life we did together and with my parents. We had many family vacations and experiences.

I was an explorer and different thinker (brilliant in my opinion), “My grandpa was a foreman at the power plant and he let us cut up some of the power poles and we would make a raft from them and float down the canal all the way to the 40 acre pawnd (pond). My wife is the one with the accent-she always pronounces words wrong”. I loved being in nature, it was my happy place, boats, rivers, fishing, shooting, and adventuring.

I graduated high school from Sylvania High School in 1964. In 1967 I was the manager at Kinny’s Shoe Store in Toledo, in the Woodville Mall, and one day a good lookin’ woman came in to see my assistant manager who was her brother, Mike. After she left I told Mike, “Ehhh, I’m gonna marry your sister some day”! And wouldn’t ya know it?? She said yes!

At the same time I attempted to enlist in the army 3 times during the Vietnman War and they would not take me because I was too dang skinny. THEN they decided to draft me instead and the goofy part is that I weighed even less but they dropped the weight requirement to draft me. I had training in Kentucky and Oklahoma. Mary and I got married and she moved to Oklahoma with me in ‘68. Then I was sent to Vietnam.

In “Nam”, I started out a private and became a sergeant. I was a communications chief and I would set the guns for the targets and was a demolitions expert to blow up the holes for the dumps. I loved it! I loved blowing and shooting things up and I even got paid for it! I am very honored to be a veteran and people have been very respectful to me because of my service.

We moved to Port Clinton in ‘70 and I started out as an insurance agent. Mary was a phone operator. She got pregnant with Jenny and had to quit because she was pukin. I started at Gypsum and Jenny was born in May ‘71 and Heather in ‘72. I loved my girls and still do, it’s true! My family was my gift and my job was to provide for all of my girls. We had a lotta fun and took trips and had game nights and always had dinner together that Mary planned and cooked. I did not let them win just because they were family- they had to really work at it and actually win. Which I think has helped them be the Bada$$es they are today!! (insert my laugh and smile here).

I worked several jobs throughout my life -but always provided-and worked up until I was 63 years old and then tinkered and created. I loved building, taking pictures and even videotaped weddings with Larry Money-for years, I loved spending time in Chicago with my grand daughters and family and eating all the good food and the ambeeants (ambience) of the restaurants (I was cheap though) and loved the museums and culture, I collected a lot of items throughout my life that were valuable to me and some may accuse me of even bein’ a pack rat. I had what ‘ya needed I just needed time to find it. I loved watching my grand kids when they were young and even gittin’ to know them as adults. I know they all loved me and we all had our own styles of communication with each other and they taught me a lot about being a Papa.

MOST of all I want to tell all Poppe family and extended Poppe’s- Thank ya, for your acceptance, love, laughs and awkward moments. To The Entire Allan Family- thank you for accepting me (most of the time- insert my Laugh)- I loved ya’ like my own family. My bright lights Kalin, Sophie, Jasper and Jade- keep shining and reaching for the stars-you determine your future and the futures of others. And Steve, thank you for all of your support and love and I really need ya now big guy. Also, to all of the Amazing friends and family- please all of you continue to love my family and your own and everyone else! Love is the genu-ine gift!

It’s been a really wild ride and now that I do not have the restraint of my body I am gonna always be with you all- just let me know and I will do some kind spooky moves- could be birds chirping, sunsets, loud booms, lights flickering, I’m figuring out my abilities, Tony is an expert on this so he’s gonna help me hone my skills. I’m here with mom and dad and we are havin’ a ball and watching out for all of ya! Glad I know ya all!! Love ya, Thank ya and Poppe’s final salute to ya!

You have 2 choices: git busy livin’ or git busy dyin’- Feel all the feels and have gratitude for all that you have now. Life aint perfect and it aint ever gonna be:)

Don Poppe