`Voice' of Cougars supported Sylvania

6/18/2001

Robert A. Seymour, a manager of the River Side Federal Credit Union who was called the “Voice of the Cougars” for his avid support of Sylvania Southview High School athletics, died of a heart attack Saturday in Flower Hospital. He was 58.

Friends and family remember him as a lifelong sports fan who remained dedicated to Southview long after his four children graduated from the school.

“There was not a person at Southview who did not know and respect Bob Seymour,” said Ron Burel, who met Mr. Seymour in the fall of 1980 when their oldest children were freshmen.

A graduate of Central Catholic High School, Mr. Seymour first became involved in the Southview community when he served as vice president and later as president of the band and orchestra boosters.

Mr. Seymour also was a member of the Chain Gang, a group of volunteers who helped mark yardage during football games, Mr. Burel said.

Mr. Seymour returned to Southview three years ago to serve as an announcer for basketball and soccer games. Athletic Director Glen Gillespie said Mr. Seymour was famous for cheering, “It's from downtown Sylvania!” whenever a basketball player made a three-point shot.

Mr. Seymour was paid a stipend for his work with the teams, but girls' basketball Coach Kevin Mitchell recalled that he always donated the wages back to the athletic boosters at the end of the year. “He really had fun doing the announcements for us,” Mr. Mitchell said. “He lightened it up and made it really special. Girls basketball doesn't draw huge crowds, but we have a loyal following, and he would jazz it up.”

In addition to his work with local athletics, Mr. Seymour helped raise funds for Habitat for Humanity and was active in Junior Achievement, his son Robert said.

A graduate of the business administration program at the University of Toledo, Mr. Seymour was a board member of the Little Flower Credit Union and a former treasurer of the Toledo chapter of the Ohio Credit Union League.

Early in his career, Mr. Seymour worked for the Doehler-Jarvis division of NL Industries and for the Haughton Elevator division of Reliance Electric Co.

He later became the accounts-payable supervisor at Owens-Corning, where he earned “Member of the Year” recognition from the Toledo chapter of the National Association of Cost Accountants in 1973.

Surviving are his wife, Barbara; daughters, Antoinette and Deanna Truitt; sons, Robert and Gene Skibinski; brother, Dale Seymour; father-in-law, Edward Skibinski, and five grandchildren.

Visitation is from 2 to 9 p.m. today at the Wisniewski Funeral Home, 2426 North Reynolds Rd. Services will be at 9:30 a.m. tomorrow in the funeral home, followed by a Mass at 10 a.m. in Little Flower Church. Scripture services will be held today in the church.

The family requests tributes to Habitat for Humanity, the Ohio Credit Union Foundation, or Southview High School Boosters.