Dean Eddie Poore

Dean Eddie Poore, 65, formerly of Toledo, OH passed away Wednesday, December 8th, at the Medilodge of Monroe, MI after a year long battle with cancer. He was born in Monroe, June 10th of 1956, to the late Clyde Poore and Billie (née Minton) Carter. He is survived by his remaining siblings, Kathy Ayers of Swartz Creek, MI and Jennetta Alene Poore of Clio, MI. He is also survived by his first wife Teresa (Mark) Heck of Ida, MI and their three daughters: Kristin (Christopher) Jones and grandchildren Emelia and Henry of Kalamazoo, MI. Nicole Goodman and granddaughter Hailey of Monroe, MI and grandson Hunter (Kylie) of Dundee, MI. Shannon (Brittney) Johnson and granddaughter Finley of Maumee, OH. He was blessed to be reunited with another daughter late in his life, Leilani (Brandon) Franks of Hartselle, AL and granddaughter Abby (Luke) Bryson of Houston, TX. Dean did not live to meet his young step-grandsons, Blake and Jeremiah. He is further survived by his second ex-wife, Barbara Berry of Bath, IN and her sons Frederic DeMetrovich, IV also of Bath and Jesse DeMetrovich of Phoenix, AZ. Dean left Monroe High School in 1974 to join the Marines in the Vietnam Era where he worked as a wireman in California before being stationed in Guam. He earned his high school diploma as a soldier and used his GI Bill to attend college courses. Upon his honorable discharge from the military, he began working at the Fisher Body Plant in Tecumseh, MI in 1978 and then transferred to the GM Powertrain Plant in Toledo, OH where he worked the bulk of his automotive manufacturing career before retiring in 2006. Dean was an accomplished musician and song writer who taught himself to play the guitar and the piano by ear. He loved to sing and perform and hosted a series of open mic nights throughout Ohio in the 90s with Barbara. Music was his life’s passion and his saving grace and he played his guitar and performed in front of an audience up until the last few months of his life. He was inordinately proud of his daughters and never failed to praise their mother for their accomplishments, taking none of the credit for himself. He enjoyed spending time with his grandchildren and teaching them to play music and giving them unsolicited life advice. He had a kooky sense of humor that above all things, even music, lives on in his descendants. Dean’s humor defined him and uplifted him and those around him, despite the fact that his life was plagued by alcoholism and mental illness. We, his daughters, will miss his late night text messages and silly, made up songs and goofy jokes in all of the days that remain to us. But we take comfort in knowing that he is finally at peace, in what we hope is a joyful harmony. It was our father’s dearest wish that his body be donated to science, and to that end we are grateful that we could honor his wishes and give our heartfelt thanks to Wayne State University’s Anatomical Donation program and Thomas Trouten of Martinson/Allore Funeral Home. In lieu of a traditional funeral we will have a flag ceremony on December 18th at 3 o’clock at Veteran’s Park in Monroe, MI, honoring his service, and a memorial dinner to follow at Pete’s Garage, in honor of his life. Donations may be given in Dean’s memory to Lucas County Children Services and CAN the Child Advocacy Network of Monroe.