Robert Fred Poppe was born on March 14, 1922, to Fred and Olga (Koch) Poppe, in Shattuck, Oklahoma. He passed from this life on October 23, 2012, in Denver, Colorado, at the age of 90. He was a member of the Methodist Church.
Robert was raised in Shattuck, OK during the Great Depression and Dust Bowl. He attended Shattuck Public Schools grades K-12. Robert has three children, Rhonda Poppe, Robert C. Poppe and Stephen Poppe. Roberts’s career was in the military, requiring him to relocate his family often. His mother would follow his family and helped Robert in raising his children. In their military years they traveled many different places. He served in the US Army Air Corps during World War II and he retired from the Air Force after 35 years, where he worked with nuclear weapons. He was a Nuclear Weapons Sgt. His highest rank was CM Sgt E9.
During this period Pearl Harbor was bombed, Robert was shipped out to South Pacific along with his brother George.
Robert had a big black dog named Fluffy, which was his faithful companion and pride and joy. Robert truly loved running, and got many trophies from marathon runs. He was honored by Runners World magazine, Running Times magazine, Lake Atwood Ten Mile Race Hall of Fame and he celebrated running his 200th marathon at the age of 64. He always had a smile on his face and a good sense of humor.
Robert was preceded in death by his parents Fred and Olga Poppe, and brother, George W. Poppe. He is survived by daughter, Rhonda Poppe, of Corvallis, Oregon; sons, Robert Poppe and Stephen Poppe, of Denver, Colorado; three step children, John, Judy, and Susan; niece, Karen and husband Richard O’Hair, of Yukon OK; nephew, Robert E. Poppe and wife Barbara, of Oklahoma City, OK; two grandchildren, Tonya Mitchell and Adam Mitchell; two great-nieces, Linda O’Hair, of Oklahoma City, OK; Amy Poppe; two great-nephews, Michael O’Hair, of Oklahoma City, OK; and Robbie Poppe, other family and a host of friends.