OBITUARY | Detective Sgt. Robert Deichman, 40

STRUTHERS – Detective Sgt. Robert Deichman, 40, of the Youngstown Police

Department, died early Thursday when the unmarked police car he was driving

collided with a tractor-trailer on Salt Springs Road, not far from his home.

Robert was born in Stamford, Conn., and was raised in Mexico, Mo., where he

was active in 4-H and liked to build model rockets, winning awards with some

of his designs.

Robert came to Youngstown in 1985.

His wife, Lori, grew up in Youngstown – both her father and mother were on

the city police force. She and Robert met in 1987 when both were working at

Woolworth’s in the Southern Park Mall.

They’ve been together since Dec. 7, 1988, and married on Dec. 7, 1996.

Robert was working as a machinist at Buckeye Extrusion tool & Die when he

was hired by the police department in 1999.

He and his family played basketball and soccer, took bike rides and

frequently engaged in wrestling matches and pillow fights.

“We’d have movie night and one night a week was game night. We’d sit and

play games,” wife Lori said.

“He was a jokester. He liked to tease the kids and me. I’m short. I always

asked for help getting stuff from the top cupboard and he teased me about

that,” she said.

He was a member of St. Nicholas Church in Struthers, and, in addition to

darts, he loved playing chess and Texas Hold’em – “He was real good at it,”

Lori said – and still liked making model rockets with his girls.

Robert is survived by his wife, Lori; two daughters, Jenna and Julianna; his

father and stepmother of Arizona; his mother, Toni, of Arizona, sister Dawn

(Dayton) Brown of Tucson, Ariz.; brother Mark (Deanna) Deichman of

Philadelphia; step brothers John (Barbara) Zagotti of Boardman and Marty

(Sherri) Zagotti of Hillsville , Pa.; step sister Lisa (Greg) Black of Moon

Township, Pa.; 11 nieces and nephews; one great-niece;

He was preceded in death by his grandparents, Oliver and Mary Hough, George

and Marie Tompkins; and niece Olivia Deichman.

Calling hours will be Monday from 2 to 7 p.m. at Schiavone Funeral Home on

Belmont Avenue in Youngstown.

Funeral services will be Tuesday at 9 a.m. at the funeral home, followed by

a procession to St. Nichoals Church in Struthers for an 11 a.m. Mass.

Contributions or donations may be made to the children’s education.

Information contributed

by The Vindicator