Merritt Higbie

Merritt Higbie, age 95, of Perrysburg, Ohio, passed away peacefully at Charter Senior Living in Sylvania, on September 25th, 2025. He was born on October 31st, 1929, to Merritt D., and Hedwig Koepp Higbie in Toledo, Ohio.

He was a proud graduate of Scott High School, class of ’47, and played on the basketball team and was in the band and played the trumpet.

After High School, he worked for 3 years at Libbey Owens Ford Thermopane. In 1948, he joined the United States Navy Reserve, and served training duty on many Navy ships over the years. He was discharged in 1964. In 1952, became a clerk in Toledo Municipal Court, and in1956, he was appointed as Chief Deputy Clerk of Courts Criminal Branch.

He joined the Toledo Police Force in October, 1957, working accident investigation, then became a Detective in 1968. He worked in the auto and Burglary squads and was then assigned to undercover sting operations in 1978. He retired in 1985.

In 1961, he and his beloved wife Janis, purchased a log cabin at Otsego Lake, near Gaylord Michigan. Every summer the family moved there, and he would join them as frequently as possible during his vacation time from TPD. He was an avid and phenomenal water skier. He mastered water skiing backwards on bananas skis and taught and helped many youngsters to ski. He loved to fish, and mainly caught pike and bass, which provided many family dinners as well as salmon from his annual fishing trip with friends.

He was also an avid snow skier and spent many winter weekends at the cabin, visiting Boyne Mountain and Boyne Highlands. He took the family on a family ski week to Mt. Snow, Vermont, and joined his friends in Vail, Colorado for a ski week there.

He added snowmobiling to his various hobbies in 1970, when he bought his first snowmobile. After a few years, he and his friends had run every area and trail covering hundreds of miles. He also helped groom snowmobile trails for the Department of Natural Resources.

In 1975, he purchased a 1957 Thunderbird that was in very poor condition and spent the next 5 years doing a body off frame restoration. “Herbie” was his 3rd child, and he proudly showed him off as he traveled to many car shows. They attended 5 Classic Thunderbird International Conventions, gained Senior Car Status at Indianapolis in 1981, and was Best of Class Thunderbird at St. Ignace car show in 1991. Over the 40 years that he had the car, he collected over 900 dash plaques from car shows.

After retirement in 1985, he took on yet another hobby, that of extensively remodeling the cabin, so he and Jan could live there year around. They lived there from 1989-1992, until they moved to Perrysburg, Ohio. He was an OSU fanatic and flew his Buckeye flag proudly from the end of their dock, and the sparring with the Michigan fans provided great entertainment for everyone.

In later years, he volunteered at the Toledo Police Museum and at Zoar Lutheran Church, helping with landscaping, setting up holiday decorations, and more. He also submerged himself in designing and building an enormous HO train in his basement, which many friends, family, and neighbors enjoyed.

His greatest joy was his family and family get-togethers. He was preceded in death by his loving wife of 70 years, Janis. He is survived by daughters, Amy Tobias, Holly Higbie-Orban (Louis), granddaughters, Carrie Kundinger (Chad), Lindsey Camargo (Fernando), and 7 great-grandchildren. Avery Stoklosa, Addisyn and Jaxson Kundinger, Luca, Liam, Coen and Vivian Camargo, and 2 very special cousins, A. Jackson and Sally Koepp Smith of Fischers, IN.

The family would like to extend their deepest gratitude to all who shared in Merritt’s life; friends, neighbors, caregivers and loved ones whose kindness, support and presence meant so much, especially during the past year.

Services were held privately. Memorial contributions can be made to the charity of the donor’s choice.