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Robert Hartley Showalter Click for Condolences      Printable Version 1921 - 2007 Robert Hartley “Bob” Showalter, 85, of Huntington, WV, died peacefully in his sleep, Tuesday, February 20, 2007 at Huntington Health and Rehabilitation. Bob was born July 22, 1921 in Iron Gate, Virginia, the second oldest of nine children of the late Elby Reuben and Hallie Bird Harris Showalter. He served in the US Army during World War II. Afterward he attended Marshall University and was one semester short of graduating. He worked for Western and Southern Life Insurance Company for thirty-five years as an agent and district sales manager. His work ethic and integrity won him many awards, friends and loyal clients over his long career in sales. After retiring, he took on a second job with the Pinkerton Security Services and earned the rank of captain while supervising guards in several states. An avid sportsman, he played baseball and football, and in later years became a scratch golfer. He loved to sing and dance and always enjoyed a good joke with friends. He was preceded in death by his loving wife of sixty-three years, Helen Steele Showalter, brothers, Elby Reuben Showalter and Ryles Randolph Showalter, and sister, Lorraine Showalter Hocker. He leaves behind a daughter, Janet (Charles) Repp of Ann Arbor, Michigan; a son, Robert Gregory (Jan) Showalter of Orlando, Florida; sisters Hallie (C.A.) Burks of Alexandria, Virginia, Jean (Raymond) Brooks of Richmond, Virginia, Aileen (Moe) Taylor of Denton, Texas, and Barbara (Harry) Mickie of Selma, Virginia; granddaughters, Amy Repp of London, England, Katherine Repp of Royal Oak, Michigan, Ariel Stowalter of Scott Depot, West Virginia, and Jonathan Showalter of Orlando, Florida; sister-in-law, Charlotte Steele of Milton, West Virginia; niece Judy (Brittain) McJunkin of Charleston, West Virginia; nephew Leland (Kim) Steele of Milton; and several great nieces and nephews. Funeral services will be conducted at 11:00 A.M. Saturday, February 24, 2007 at the Wallace Funeral Home & Chapel. Burial will be in Oaklawn Memorial Park. Friends may call from 6-8 P.M. Friday at the Wallace Funeral Home, Barboursville and after 10:00 a.m. Saturday at the funeral home. Memorial contributions may be made to the V.F.W. or American Legion. Online condolences may be expressed to the family at www.timeformemory.com/wallace

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There are currently 3 condolences.

Glenna Sunday March 11, 2007 at 12:09 PM

Greg, I am sorry for your loss. I know you and your family will miss him very much.

Robert Gregory Showalter rgregoryshowalter@yahoo.com Sunday February 25, 2007 at 10:55 PM

This is the Eulogy of Robert Hartly Showalter as delivered on Saturday, February 24, 2007 in Barboursville, West Virginia. Song: Amazing Grace Seating: Family Entrance: Master of Ceremonies We are gathered together to remember, honor and celebrate the life of Robert Hartly Showalter. Most called him “Bob”. I was fortunate to call him Poppa. How does one go about summarizing a life of more than eighty years? Shakespeare said “All the world’s a stage and all the men and women merely players. They have their exits and their entrances, and one man in his time plays many parts, his acts being seven ages.” This being said let us begin with his entrance. My Poppa was born on July 22, 1921 in Iron Gate, Virginia. He was the second oldest of nine children. He was an intelligent young man and started out well in school as evidenced by his first grade report card that we recently found. The A that he received for conduct would prove to be a consistent mark for how he lived the rest of his life. A natural athlete he excelled at sports. A high point in his life was being one of the Iron Gate High School baseball team that won the Commonwealth of Virginia Championship in 1939. Another was when he met the Love of His Life at a party. Helen Virginia Steele had traveled to Virginia to visit her cousins. Poppa had been invited by her cousin Mildred to attend a party that was held during her visit. One of the party games was called Post Office. When a boy called out a girl’s number she was supposed to kiss him. Now Poppa was quite the handsome man with his slicked back black hair and all the girls wanted him to get their number. All except Helen. Helen was very beautiful but also very shy. He kept calling her number but she wouldn’t kiss him. I suppose that must have intrigued him because he got her number for the next sixty three years until she passed away August 20, 2005. But before he played the part of a husband he played the part of a soldier. The Great Depression was still affecting the world and the stage was being set for World War II. He was called out of High School like most other young men before graduating into the military service. And like most he received his GED in lieu of a diploma. He entered the Virginia National Guard and served in Coastal Artillery. During World War II shore batteries were put in place to defend against attack from the sea. His unit was Federalized into the United Sates Army and he became a member of Battery E of the 246th Coastal Artillery at Fort Story, Virginia. Before leaving the U.S.A. to serve our country he was able to get leave just long enough to get to Barboursville to marry Helen. He had twenty four hour guard duty before he left, took a crowded train here and got no rest, got married, got no rest, Momma always jabbed him when he got to that part, took the train back with no rest and found he was back on twenty four hour guard duty. Good thing he was young and strong. He was a Corporal before he left and so he would serve in Patton’s Third Army as they fought their way across Europe. Promotion never came though he deserved it as the cadre remained full. He often told stories of firing the 105 mm Howitzer and especially liked to talk about the “panoramic sight”. As you may suspect his team was number one at loading and firing. Though there was a war on he still found time to be a loving husband. He designed a necklace to be made from coins that he had there. In order to attach the chains that held it together he held a drill bit between his fingers and spun it by hand until he made it through. I have that necklace and am amazed at the symmetry of it and the time that it must have taken to make it. But such was his love for his wife. Eventually the war ended and it was time to come home. Time was abundant on the troop ships returning so he played the part of a man skilled at games of chance. He did so well that he won the down payment for a house that still stands just down the street from where we are today. However time after the war was not so abundant. Many roles needed to be filled all at once. There was husband, Marshall Student, American Car and Foundry, better known as ACF, employee on the two man reamer ( a huge drill if ever there was one) and father. This turned out to be a bit much so he left Marshall one semester short of a degree. In the next act we find him working at Firestone on Tenth Street and Fourth Avenue in Huntington. Never one to compromise his principals he left there after a disagreement with management. Now an unemployed actor still playing the role of husband and father he looked for work. Western-Southern Life Insurance cast him in the role of a field agent. He performed for a kindly director named Bruzees and was mentored by experienced men such as Dick Roach and J.B. Watts. Born with the gift of gab, honesty and intelligence he quickly excelled in this role. It was here that he developed the techniques for getting to know people. I never saw him at a loss for words when he met someone. He would clasp their hand, fix his gaze on them and start asking questions until he had uncovered someone that he knew to establish common ground. He could have played the Artful Dodger with aplomb. It’s a good thing that he was an honest man because he could sell someone their own car and make them happy about it. Once he was done with that they’d probably feed him dinner. The life of a salesman isn’t an easy one though. Success is paid for by long hours on the road away from the family. He regretted that playing the breadwinner to take care of his family cost him time with the ones that he loved so much. When he was home he often took on the role of Mr. Fixit perhaps better called Rube Goldberg. A child of the Depression, he saved everything in case it was needed and would rather jury rig something together than pay to buy it new or have it fixed. When Janet wanted a swing set he saw no need to pay for one. He found discarded pipe at the Barboursville Brickyard and figured out how to turn it into a swing set. The seat for the swing was made from angle iron suspended by heavy chain and could have laid out a strong man if it had hit him. He painted it red like the store bought sets and sent Janet out to play on it. All of the kids went to her house because her swing set didn’t pull out of the ground when they swung on it. A heavy truck probably couldn’t have pulled it out of the ground for that matter. Sometime during this period he again took on the role of the athlete by taking up golf. First considered by him to be a “silly game” it became one of his passions. Once he was quite late coming home and Momma and Janet became worried. There were no cell phones then so they set out looking for him in their car. They found him around 10:30 PM at the Knob Hill Golf Course. He had pulled his Nash Metropolitan up and shined it’s headlights on the green so he could practice his putting. He never lost his love of golf and played until his knees bothered him so much that he had to give up the game. His hard work as a salesman paid off as he moved up to the position of Lance Associate which was the name Western-Southern gave to a trouble shooter. In that position he would fly to different towns where the company was having problems and solve them. He was still in that role when I entered the scene. Shortly after that we left Barboursville for Chesapeake, Ohio. Janet was away at Ohio State. During the week Momma and I were on our own with Poppa away on business. She would drive me around in her Country Squire station wagon and feed me foot long hot dogs from the Dairy Bell in Chesapeake. I still remember going to the airport on the weekends to bring him home. I always wanted to know “What did you bring me Daddy?” and he never failed to come through. The gift I remember most was a set of two silver cap pistols with silver bullets like the Lone Ranger used. He had learned a lesson by then from the family time he had lost so when the opportunity came to leave the road behind for a chance at the Director’s chair he took it. We moved to Birmingham, Alabama where he took the position of District Sales Manager. The corner office with the view was his as was command. This did not work out as I developed an allergy that forced us to leave. This would not be the last sacrifice that he would make for me. Leaving the corner office there meant that he had to accept a return to agent status. Moving down the ladder is not easy for any man especially one as talented as he but he did it for me. The significance of this was lost on the child that I was but not on the man that stands before you today. Charleston, West Virginia was offered and it was close to home so once again we hit the road. The air in chemical valley was no better for me and indeed not for anyone so our stay there was short. It seemed that the only thing left was to return home and bring our journey full circle. Poppa took on the role of Field Agent at the Barboursville office and we moved to a house on Farmdale Road that is a flower shop today. Later we would go back to Chesapeake but Poppa continued at the office in Barboursville where he retired after thirty five years of service. He won many awards during his career but none were so valued as the respect and loyalty of those he served for those are the hardest to earn. After his retirement I was in High School and involved in many activities so I was the one that was often gone. He would come by the school in the afternoons during football practice to see me. Unlike him I did not develop the abilities I had at the time for sports. Instead I preferred to be the one that could fix equipment and players. I’m still that way today. He was proud of me still and came to the games to watch me. One day he stopped by with a folding knife as a present. I still have it as well as the box it came in locked safely away. The athlete in him came out while he was there and he asked to try a few field goals. We set him up on the thirty yard line and he proceeded to kick at least three times. Every one right through the uprights. Darryl Harris who sits here with us was there on that day. We were impressed and amazed. He paid for it though as the next day he was a bit too stiff and sore to walk. When that happened I would usually put him in the whirlpool tank we used for the players to get him loose again. It was around this time that he got a bit restless with his retirement and seemed to miss the stage. He took on the role of Pinkerton Security Sergeant and was rapidly promoted to Lieutenant and Captain. He often had to travel with his new job and sometimes spent long hours on the road. I had taken on the part of a junior volunteer firefighter and was often called out in the middle of the night. He would hear the call and be standing at the door holding it open with a flashlight in his hand to light my way down the hill we lived on. It was a good thing too. As young and dumb as I was I would have run through the door and fallen down the hill without him. The funny thing about that was that when I was a teenager I thought that I was pretty smart and that Poppa had a few things to learn. It wasn’t until I got older that I started to think he was pretty smart after all. I finally figured out that he had been smart all along and that I still had lots to learn. As a growing boy I ate a lot during this time but that was never a problem. He also played a chef. A chef that cooked for at least a dozen people at once. Rodney Dangerfield said in a movie “I hate small food!” Pop did too. While I was still in High School a friend came over for lunch one day. We decided that for once we were going to eat up everything that he had made just to see if we could do it. It hurt, but we did it. What do you think Pop did? He got up to make more food. We had to stop him before we exploded. But that’s the way he was, generous and giving. Not long after this I graduated high school and started at Marshall. I worked for him as a security guard part time before leaving school to become a rookie firefighter with the Huntington Fire Department. Shortly after taking on the role I moved to my own place. I would go on to become a paramedic and work for Cabell County EMS among other places. I even joined the Navy and saw a bit of the world. Army man that he was he was proud of me still. As long as I can remember he had a distinctive way of clearing his throat. When he came to see me graduate from boot camp I was in a room full of hundreds of people all talking at once. I didn’t see him but I sure did hear him. I can’t tell you how glad I was to hear that sound and know he was there. He was also there for me with Momma when I needed help taking care of my daughter Ariel when her mother and I had to be away at work. He was there when the events of my life caused me to need a home to live in because my house had to be sold. As a matter of fact there was never a time that he let me down or was not there for me. One cannot pick their parents but I could not have chosen better than him. When I comfort my young son Jonathan I cannot help but think of how he comforted me. After half a career in the fire service and half of another in emergency medical service I ended following in his footsteps and became a salesman. I hired in as a District Sales Manager, the same job that he had held once. My wife found the name badge from his desk with his name and title and gave it to me. I value it highly. She plays the role of the loving, thoughtful and long suffering wife and I am grateful for it. She would deserve an Oscar but it’s no act. She really is all those things but I digress. When Poppa learned that I was going into sales he passed on some of his wisdom to me. He said “Son, if they fish, you fish. If they play ball, you play ball.” Sage advice to be sure but he went on to say something more important. That was to be honest and not to lie. He’d taught me that for years but he said it applied here too. He told me of salesmen who made short term successes by telling customers what they wanted to hear instead of the truth. He explained that these salesmen sometimes beat him out of a sale but that their customers always ended up coming to him when the truth was found out. One of his customers from years ago honored him last night by coming to the visitation and relating the story of how Poppa had wisely helped him and his family. I’ve followed his advice in sales and become successful. As a matter of fact whenever I have gone wrong in my life it is because I did not listen to his advice. Even more importantly I have also gone wrong when I did not follow the word of God that shines like a lighthouse to steer us away from danger. Please listen with me now to music from when the Reverend Jim Franklin played Songs in the Night. Song: The Lighthouse Many was the night that Poppa and I listened to that song together drawing comfort from it. He shared with me his faith in the Lord Jesus Christ as I now ask that you allow me to share the same faith with you. Father God Almighty I ask blessing upon the reading of your word and that you would bind and cast away any spirits that would keep those here from hearing and understanding your words. I also ask that the ears and hearts of those here be opened to your word and that you will grant them understanding. John Chapter 8, Verse 12 says: Then spake Jesus again unto them saying, I am the light of the world: he that followeth me shall not walk in darkness, but shall have the light of life. Romans Chapter 10, Verse 9 says: That if thou shalt confess with thy mouth the Lord Jesus and shalt believe in thine heart that God hath raised him from the dead, thou shalt be saved. Please bow your heads and close your eyes to join me in prayer. Prayer: All Closing of the Casket During Prayer: Wallace Funeral Home Staff My Poppa was blessed with family and friends who have been there for him as he fell ill after Momma’s death. I cannot begin to repay the acts of kindness that have been shown to him and to me during the final time of his life. I offer thanks and gratitude. The stories could go on as there are many more but the time is short. Let us bring this act to a close for others wait to take the stage. Join us if you will as we journey to Oaklawn Memorial Park for the rendering of Military Honors and internment as we commit the body of Robert Hartly Showalter to the Earth. Then the play of his life here will be done. Though he is gone and grief is upon us, be glad for him, for his pains are at an end. Those who are believers in the Lord Jesus Christ know that we shall see him again. Song: You’ll Never Walk Alone Exit: Master of Ceremonies Exit: Casket by Pallbearers Exit: Family Exit: Attendees Military Honors were rendered at the graveside.

Larry Lemaster bimby6@aol.com Sunday February 25, 2007 at 1:38 PM

I want to say to Bob's family how sorry I am for thier loss. Bob was always a good friend to me and my family. We worked together for years at Western Southern and Pinkertons.He was a very good man and a hard worker all his life. It was a pleasure knowing him and spending time with him. I am sorry I was not able to be at his service due to my own illness. I will always remember him.

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