Samuel D. Poor

Muncie - Samuel D. Poor, 80, passed away November 10, 2023, at home surrounded by family after an extended illness. Sam was born March 21, 1943, in Muncie and graduated as a Muncie Central Bearcat in 1961. Sam grew up on 12th street across from Sutton Elementary, had many lifelong neighborhood friends, and they referred to themselves as the "12th Street gang".
Sam worked at Delco Battery in Muncie for 38 years, retiring August of 1998. He was a member of the UAW Local 489, where he was a union rep during the 1990's. Sam was also a reserve Muncie police officer and occasionally helped at Bob Theasing's Shell Station during the 70's and 80's. After retirement from Delco, Sam volunteered to maintain the horse trail at Prairie Creek Reservoir and the Medford trailhead on the Cardinal Greenway.
Sam will be greatly missed by his family, friends, and neighbors. He was always glad to help anyone he knew, was very involved with his children's sports, and made sure they succeeded in school. Sam's family was always his priority. Sam was very proud of his two sons, David and Eric, service to our country in the Navy and daughter, Michelle, for going back to school to earn her degree as a Physical Therapy Assistant.
Sam volunteered many hours to the Selma ball diamonds as a coach during the 1970's and 1980's. Along with the help of Jerry Zearbaugh, Sam started the Wapahani wrestling boosters in the 1980's. Volunteering many times to transport the wrestling team to and from meets and training. Sam also started the Wapahani Girls Softball program in 1990 with Mike Jordan and Don Elam. Sam started as the assistant coach for the softball team and later became the head coach. Sam and Mike coached the team to the 1st sectional title in 1991.
His grandchildren, Jay, Lauren, Emmy, Tristan, Gray, Sarah, and Connor, were also a source of great pride for Sam. He enjoyed watching them participate in sports, plays, dance, and other school activities. Sam sat on many cold and sometimes wet, bleachers so his grandkids would know that Papaw supported them in anything they were doing.
There were many close friends that Sam thought of as family, including the Carpenters, the Luttons, and the Bennetts. Sam would always treat their children as his own and often would also watch them in sports and school activities.
Taking trips throughout the years with friends and the annual turkey hunting trip with David, Eric, and Jay, produced many funny stories and fond memories to cherish. Remembering him in the years to come will make us laugh and cry, but he will be remembered because he made an imprint on many lives over his 80 years.
Sam was preceded in death by his parents Jesse and Martha Poor, his sister Barbara Holt, and his grandson Connor Haughn. Sam referred to Connor as "Harold" and would tease him about giving him a knuckle sandwich. We are sure "Harold" was waiting to give his Papaw that knuckle sandwich.
Left to cherish his memory are his wife of 58 years Carol (Lanning) Poor, his children David Poor, Eric Poor (Jayne), and Michelle Haughn (Lisa Kerr). His grandchildren Jay (Jade) Poor, Lauren Poor (Eric Scoba), Emmy (Sam) Cable, Tristan Poor, Gray Haughn (Lizzie Harp), Sarah Haughn and his great-grandchildren Samantha, Brandon, Logan, Colton, McKean, and Harrison.
The family would like to thank IU oncology, Reid Pulmonology, Heart to Heart Hospice, and his personal nurse, Tonya, who went above and beyond to care for Sam and Carol.
Services will be 2:00 p.m. on Thursday, November 16, 2023 at The Meeks Mortuary and Crematory, Washington Street Chapel with Pastor Jim Ballenger officiating. Burial will follow in Tomlinson Cemetery.
Family and friends may call from 11:00 a.m. until 2:00 p.m. on Thursday at the mortuary.
A celebration of life will be held that evening at the American Legion in Selma from 4-7 p.m.
In lieu of flowers, the family requests that a donation be made in the name of Connor Haughn and Sam Poor to the Ronald McDonald House (Indianapolis) or the Riley Children's Foundation.
Online condolences may be sent to the family at www.meeksmortuary.com.