Robert J. Woytowich

Robert J. Woytowich, 85, of Toledo, Ohio passed away on April 16, 2026 in Myrtle Beach, SC after a short illness. He was born May 2, 1940 in Shamokin, PA to Theodore Woytowich and Isabelle Alexa. He joined the Navy at age 19 to explore the world outside of Toledo, and served honorably as a Navy diver and radio operator in the early 1960’s, serving during the Vietnam Conflict. After his military service he moved to New York and joined the NYS Police on June 23, 1966.

He married in 1967 and had six children: Lorraine, Lisa, Linda, Michael, Nancy and Debra. His children, their spouses and his grandchildren always looked up to him. He was a profound force and influence on all of their lives, even from afar.

A proud southpaw known as “Crow,” he spent most of his time with the NYS Police stationed in Troop B Malone, as one of the only dog handlers in the state in the 1970s. He spent countless hours tracking criminals and lost souls alike, at times away from his family for weeks on end, but he always returned with a story. In his free time Crow enjoyed a varying number of pastimes - a favorite of which was playing cards. He also enjoyed rooting for the (always losing) Cleveland Browns, Cleveland Indians and NY Giants and was an amateur ham radio operator. He was Commander of the American Legion Post 19 in Malone from 1989-1990.

He retired from the NYS Police on September 3, 1986, divorced, and eventually moved to the Albany, NY area where he remarried. He spent the last years of his life in Myrtle Beach, which was - by all accounts - much warmer than the upstate NY winters.

In keeping with his longstanding wishes and character, his body was donated to the Medical University of South Carolina’s Anatomical Gift Program, allowing him to serve one final time in the education of future doctors and healthcare professionals. A service of gratitude for his immediate family will take place at the Medical University later this year.

Crow was very adamant that there be no fanfare when it was his time to depart this Earth. Instead, he would have wanted those who knew him to remember him in their own way.

Thanks, dad. We love you, and we’ll miss you.

WA2WBJ, signing off.