Robert W. Poorman Jr.

Robert W. Poorman, Jr., For reasons unclear to us mortals, God chose to bring Bob to heaven on May Day, May 1, 2014. And, after grappling with ALS since 2012, Bob was OK going. On October 29, 1950, Bob was born to Caye and Robert W. Poorman, Sr. (who was also called up last Memorial Day weekend. We believe they are now on the back 9.) Bob was the first of five Poorman children, Teri, Barb (Hicks), Don and Jennifer (Miller). Although born in Cleveland, Bob and his family returned to Indianapolis and settled in St. Lawrence Parish. Devout Catholics, Bob’s parents chose to send him to the newly opened Brebeuf Preparatory School for high school. Bob considers this one of his best paths taken and, to this day, says that Brebeuf gave him the foundation for the man he became. His conviction was so strong, he took a turn at serving on the Board of Trustees. The admiration was mutual as Bob was selected to receive the coveted Fred McCashland Award this year. After high school, a short stay at Ball State did not fulfill the entrepreneurial spirit in Bob and he left school to work at IndyType, a small print company. Driven to chart his own course, Bob became sole owner at the age of 25. IndyType was the first step in his rise to business stardom and he eventually paired with Bob Shepard to build Shepard Poorman Communications, one of the largest print companies in the State of Indiana. The 1990 Entrepreneur of the Year award attested to his success. After SP was sold in 1998, Bob took some time off to bring his handicap down to 4, but that was only a respite. Pairing with Dave Harding in 2002, they founded HardingPoorman in 2003, a successful print and digital turnkey company that continues to grow. There are 135 employees and their families will miss him terribly. Community minded, Bob guided a program at HardingPoorman to help non-profit organizations with their printing needs with such clients as the Jewish Community Center; the Cancer Support Community; the Coalition for Homelessness Intervention and Prevention; Brebeuf Jesuit, Bishop Chatard and Roncalli High Schools; and School on Wheels, for which he also served on the Advisory Board. After his diagnosis of ALS in July, 2012, Bob was asked if he would now work on his bucket list. But his reply was quick, “I have lived a great life and there is no bucket list.” He continued playing golf and tennis until he could not, working until his retirement in January, and enjoying and loving his family until his death – and now from heaven. Bob will always be in the hearts he left behind, including his wife, Jan Breiner Frazier, son Bert (Amy), daughter Christy (Adam) Shepard, son Scott. His legacy will live in his grandchildren Piper and Mildred Poorman, and Jackson and Ethan Shepard. In addition to Caye and the Poorman sibs, he was an official member of the Breiner family: Debbie (Richard) Wofford, Jeff (Sue), Pam (Jeff) Basch and Jon. There are also dearly loved nieces and nephews who will never forget Bob, along with countless friends. We thank all of those who reached out to him and to his family, expressed their love, provided support and… Sapphire Gin. We especially thank the wonderful staff at IU North, IU Hospice and his last care giver, Donna. Visitation will be at Feeney-Hornak Keystone Mortuary, 2126 East 71st St., on Friday, May 9 from 1:00 pm to 8:00 pm. A Mass of Christian Burial will be held at his beloved Brebeuf, 2801 West 86th St., on Saturday, May 10 at 11:00 am. Burial will follow at Oaklawn Memorial Gardens. Memorial donations may be made to the ALS Association of Indiana and Brebeuf Jesuit School. Memorial tributes may be made at www.feeneyhornakkeystone.com. But the story does not end here. Bob will always be with us, guiding us, watching over us. He will never be forgotten.