Gary A. "Poppa Bear" Roberts
April 5, 1940 ~ January 16, 2012
Gary A. 'Poppa Bear' Roberts, 71, Mooresville, died January 16, 2012. Gary was born April 5, 1940, in Kokomo, Indiana to the late Truman Arthur Roberts and Dorothy (Wallace) Mitchell.
He graduated from Fillmore High School. Gary worked for 27 years at Imperial Oil, retiring in 1985 as a supervisor. He also owned and operated Elite Security/Bear Force from 1970-90.
Survivors include his former wife, Nanette Roberts; son, Jeffrey Roberts; daughters, Bambi Kemerly, Tammy Helton, Sherry Fecker, and Cindy Holder; ten grandchildren; five great grandchildren.
According to Gary's wishes, services will not be observed. Cremation will take place at the Morgan County Crematory, Mooresville. Funeral arrangements are being handled by Carlisle - Branson Funeral Service & Crematory, Mooresville. Visit www.carlislebranson.com to share a favorite memory or to sign the online guest registry.
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I was a Security Supervisor for him from Columbus, Ohio. I just came across this obituary. I guess my my favorite memory was the time at Deer Creek. It was a Greatful Dead Concert. I was attacked by this big guy well over 6 feet tall. I dropped him out cold on the floor. Papa came up from behind me, grabbed the guy by the belt and carried him out like a suitcase. He was someone who always had your back. I was amazed how he carried that guy out with one hand. He was amazed and went bragging about how I easily I dropped that guy before he could give me a hand. I will miss him.
Love you dad. Bambi
First and most important, I would like to express my deepest sympothy to the Roberts family for their loss. I have not seen nor talk to Gary for many years, but I have nothing but fond memories of Gary. One of my favorite memories was the birth of his grandson, he came to the hospital for a visit and I could tell that was a good moment for him. I remember when Cindy turned 21 he took the girls out in a limo for the evening, when the grandkids climbed on him like a playground junglegym or how he watched over me on my 40th birthday by making sure I was drinking plenty of water. Gary, thanks for the memories, Love Kim
Nannette, I am so sorry for your lose. i remember how funny Gary was when showed you houses and how much he cared for you. I wish you the best. cecelia Tanner
Gary was the best grandfather a girl could ask for. My favorite memory was us telling the story of sharing our birthday. Everyone always gets a good laugh at the fact that he hung up on my mom when she called to tell them she was having me. Not a day that goes by that I will not miss him! Don’t worry Pa I will have a steak for you on our birthday as we always have done! Love you! Your Birthday Present Christi
Gary was a great friend as well as a comrade in the music scene in Indiana. I have many great memories of working with Gary. And, he was always watching out for me, protecting me and my interests. Thanks for being there. I will always remember. Steve Sybesma, Sunshine Promotions
Pop was a very good friend. Many of us shared in his antics while working with Bear Force. We all have very fond memories, mostly, of working concerts and whatever with Pop. He was definitely good for the show and always a figure most in a crowd would know and want to talk to. He surely stood out in a crowd. Several of our ‘Bear Force Brothers’ were waiting last week when Pop arrived. When it is our turn, we know they will be waiting with open arms for us as well. We shared a brotherhood that most would not understand. It wasn’t always easy and they always had your back. We miss them all! Enjoy our Brothers Pop, until we meet again. We Love You All. Nanette, I hope you and your family are dealing with this as well as can be expected. Quick and Easy would have been what Pop wanted. If you need anything….. Love, Greg Stearns Bear Force Concert Security Alumni!
First I wanted to share my facebook post from the day he left us…..Today my dad passed away …although having him here and caring for him was the hardest thing I ever did I would not have had it any other way. He passed here in the very spot I am sitting as i write this..he was watching his grandson Zeb playing xbox cozy in his favorite blanket Sarah had just covered him with. He was where he needed to be. We kept him here for our goodbyes he wanted no service no fanfare. Alzheimer’s is such a cruel desease I am thankful that God took him before we saw the worst of it and he never had to spend any of his days locked in a unit of a nursing home. He was bigger than life to me for so many years and …..I ache and feel relief at the same time… This is just hard…. RIP Gary ‘Poppa Bear’ Roberts I can certainly say his passing has stirred alot inside of me but mostly it has allowed me to enjoy the memories of the time he was what I say ‘Almost famous’ and I felt like somebody just because I could say he was my dad. I had put those days out of my mind as we went through these last few months because it was too heartbreaking to look at the man he had become in contrast to the man he once was…if I dwelled on what we had already lost I wouldn’t have been able to cope with each day. Instead I learned to accept the old childlike man he was. We talked about things like sneaking off and going to the ocean. We argued over the TV and the remote(alot). He actually watched the kids more than the TV. He would watch Connor to make sure he was behaving, Zeb because he really thought he was a great kid and he was my number one helper when it came to caring for his grandpa when I was gone. I found out on the day he died Zeb actually had him playing a war game on the XBox., Sarah because she was all grown up, and Savannah just lit up his face when she was in the room and he always took her side no matter what. When Christi would come visit he would always be so proud when she told him what she was doing in school and about her upcomig trip to Korea.. I know it was hard on them while he was here but I know as they grow they will realize how lucky they were to have that time with him. One day he just said to me ‘Cindy I love you’ in a big kind of silly voice, I am thankful for that day. Never had I kept candy in my house but he required it! I could predict how he would answer all of my questions like ‘grandpa are you hungry’ he would say ‘I can always eat’… a.Never did he complain or tell me he didn’t feel good. I would just have to guess because if I asked he would say ‘getting old, just getting old’ He loved the dogs and my little Bella still comes in and runs to his room, He called her Baby doggie because he couldn’t remember her name. I still hear him cough and expect to see him in his usual places. I can still hear him saying ‘Connor…did you hear your mother?’ ‘got anything to snack on?’ ‘is there a boy out there’ So many little phrase probably only mean something to me. Our last Christmas was perfect both Nana and Pa and Sissy and Monty stayed the night and we had Christmas morning all together. The picture of Grandpa that day is the most difficult for me to look at it just pulls my heart strings. Its harder to move on because he was here in our home with us and his memories are still so clear. But also it has such a sweet peace knowing I was with him and he went the way he would have wanted. I miss him, both the Pappa Bear of long ago and the Grandpa who shared our home Cindy
I feel the same mom…it is really hard and it is gonna be really hard for me whenI come home the next time and he is not there…we can do this momma we have each other and there are so many memories of him. I love you and he loved us all so much and I talk to him all the time!
Cindy, I am Hobart Buchanan and Gary and I along with Don Mundy were the ‘3 Kittems from Cat’ in High School. I am sorry to say I don’t know who your are and had no idea Gary was ill. I have tried many times to locate Gary, but I was unable to locate him. The last time I saw him was at Olive Garden in Avon with Nannette. I have also tried to contact her, but I couldn;t, Gary and I go wayback and would like to be in contact with some of the family members. I live in Florida now in The Villages. My email address is hobey_b@yahoo.com, home phone is 352 430-2435. My mother Marjorie Buchanan, my wife Kay and I are very sorry to learn of Gary’s passing. Sincerely, Hobart Buchanan
Cindy is following this tribute.
hE WAS A LEGEND!
My heart goes out to all the people in Gary’s family, his work associates, friends and especially his loved ones. Poppa Bear was just that, a bear of a man with an even bigger heart. He was a trusted and forthright person who could always be counted on in any situation. My heart has been heavy since hearing of his passing. As days turned into months and months to years, I never could think of my past in Indianapolis without thinking of Poppa Bear. My biggest regret was not stopping by for a visit more often. We spent a lot of time together, he always had a smile. One day while preparing for a show at the old tennis court complex he was sitting in a golf cart keeping an eye on the picket line I walked up to him and squirted him with water from my new automatic Uzi squirt gun. He faked being hurt and limped over to his car and pulled out a real Uzi! Where did you get that and why? He told me he had just been hired as a bodyguard for Bob Irsay and Bob required Poppa Bear to have it. We sat down in the golf cart together and as we talked he wrestled the squirt gun from me and opened fire, both of us wet and laughing. I loved that man. You will be missed
1974 Good Diggin’s was the Place to be!! I carry that in my Heart always!! ‘ R.I.P Poppa Bear!!!!
Enough time has passed that I can look back over my memories of Gary. But trying to single out any one thing is impossible after so many years. We had so many good times, mixed with bad , sad, rough, just like anyone else. But as I look back over the memories one thing comes to my mind that sums it up ‘ I WOULDN’T HAVE MISSED THE DANCE ‘
he loved u so much iam sorry i wasnt there for u
Nan, Just located the obituary. Even two years late the pain is deep for me. He was a great friend and has been in my heart and memories for years. My time as a member of the Bear Force had a big impact on my life, as I will always remember Poppa Bear as my friend. The stories and legend will go on even if I don’t fit in my jacket any longer. Charles Beeler. (812-923-8596).
Nancy Whitlock is my wife. Charles beeler
LOVE U DADDY RIP
I worked for Imperial during the 1960’s and early 70’s. Gary was one of my supervisors and then I went on supervision for a while. Many memories from those days. I’ll never forget him.
Wow, I worked for the Bear Force Concert Security, 1989 through 1990. What a great time I had meeting entertainers and convincing people who wanted to fight or smoke dope, or do things they shouldn’t do, to not do it…Poppa Bear was a great guy to work for.
Well to sum it all up you were a remarkable man, I may not have spent every weekend or all the holidays with you but i know that you are greatly missed, you are the only man i know that could rock the big gold chains and make it look sooo good! miss you grandpa Little Denny
Poppa Bear and the Bear Force was a part of my life that I will never forget.
Poppa Bear was a lot of fun times He will be missed
I have many memories and lasting impressions from my time working as a concert and strike security guard for Poppa Bear (8 years)! I am truely sad to here of his passing. He always inspired me to be a better man! I am a better person for having known him! Marion ‘Big Guy’Kendrick
I have been searching for elite bear force for a long time. I was a usher for 9yrs. I met the elite bear force security, and they took me in. I really loved working with everyone. Papa bear was a great man and great friend. I lost contact after leaving the Cincinnati gardens. My heart holds a special place and great memories. My thoughts and prayers go out to his family. I wish I was still with the company. Debby dutell
I first met Pop at good diggins in Mooresville 1974 he asked me if I would like to work Concert security ,I jumped at the chance ,had a lot to learn but can assure you pop was there and taught me well, I’m so sorry to hear of his passing , sure have a lot of special memories and great times with pop, may God continue to Bless his Family always and may God surround you’re family with Angels of love. Thank you for allowing me to be on the team, rest in peace Brother .
Threw the late 80s an early 90s i worked with pop larry an the crew, everything from black expo to street fairs in broad ripple. Mostly concert’s from ft wayne to Evansville’ . the times of my life! ! Thanx Pop!! Rip!! Kelly George
It makes my heart heavy to hear of “Pop’s” passing. I have so many memories of him and my time with Bear Force. He could be the funniest goofball and yet still have your back in an instant. I’ll miss his grumble and growl, a golf cart race or three around Deer Creek, those big “dad” hugs and the way he could make anyone feel like family. Thank you for the memories and laughs Pop, It was a great time.
Poppa Bear was my boss when I worked at Good Diggins. He allowed me to be a merchandiser and sent me around to all the stores to polish jewelry and do the displays. It was a great job. I also attended most every concert going to the back stage door and asking for Poppa Bear. The best perk of any job I’ve ever had. Thank you Poppa Bear. RIP