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Longtime Porter County Counilman Bob Poparad died.
Porter County Councilman Bob Poparad, D-1st
2019 compensation: $21,211
Source: Porter County Auditor’s Office
BURNS HARBOR — Longtime Porter County Council member Robert “Bob” Poparad, 64, died early Friday after a long battle with lung cancer.
Poparad, D-1st, was first elected to the County Council in 2002, following his service on the Burns Harbor Town Council. While on the Town Council, Poparad helped guide the town through the devastating blow from Bethlehem Steel’s bankruptcy in 2001. The steelmaker was the lion’s share of the town’s tax base.
Councilwoman Sylvia Graham, D-At-Large, sat beside Poparad at County Council meetings for 12 years.
“Bob not only was a mentor teaching me protocol in my early council years, but became a friend and almost a father figure,” Graham said. “He insisted that I would contact him to let him know that I got home safely after meetings.”
The entire time Bob served on the County Council, until this month, he served on the Plan Commission. “He played an important part in the past, present and future planning for Porter County,” Graham said.
“Bob could speak in a gruff and grumpy manner but down deep, he was just a teddy bear,” Graham said. “Bob was the epitome of what a public servant should be. He was a dedicated, unselfish and caring person that always thought about what was best for the people of Porter County.”
County Auditor Vicki Urbanik said Poparad was working on behalf of taxpayers until the end. As recently as a few weeks ago, Poparad had called her to ask questions about county finances, she said. “I knew he was suffering, but he still needed to know.”
Urbanik got to know Poparad when she was a reporter, especially when she, Poparad and attorney David Hollenbeck were digging into local government finances to see how Bethlehem Steel’s bankruptcy would affect local government operations throughout the county.
“Above all, his passing is a very sad, devastating loss for the taxpayers,” she said. “I’m going to miss him absolutely.”
County Council President Jeremy Rivas, D-2nd, said everyone learned something from Poparad.
“There was never any doubt who Bob represented while sitting in his council seat, the taxpayer, and if a department head or elected official came in front of the council to ask for taxpayer dollars they better damn well be prepared to answer questions. If they weren’t prepared, Bob would soon let them know,” Rivas said.
“While Bob might have appeared rough around the edges, he was a genuinely honest person. And he governed with that quality,” he said.
Council Vice President Mike Jessen, R-4th, said Poparad’s death is “a true loss for his family, friends and the entire community he served.”
“Bob was a straight shooter with a heart for public service,” Jessen said. “Bob had a masterful way of leaving partisan politics out of the government grind and focused only on what was right for the people he served.”
“I am deeply saddened by Bob’s passing. He will be missed,” Councilman Mike Brickner, R-At-Large, said.
“He was extremely committed to public service,” Councilman Greg Simms, D-3rd. “He was always questioning the money issue of it, the keeper of the purse so to speak.”
“Our county was so lucky to have this man working for us to make our community better each day,” Councilman Andy Bozak, R-At-Large, said “His dedication and passion to do the right thing is something I will never forget.”
“He was always there to offer advice, give background information or just to lend an ear when we needed to discuss issues,” Bozak added.
County Commissioner Jim Biggs, R-North, knew Poparad more than 25 years. “In all the years I worked with him, I never seen him show up in a coat and tie,” Biggs said. “However, I knew none who took their job as a public official more seriously. He wasn’t shy about giving his opinion and he could spot a speck of BS on the back of a fly’s back before it entered a meeting, and I respected the heck out of that.”
“We need more Bob Poparads in the world, not fewer,” said Board of Commissioners Vice President Laura Blaney, D-South, who previously served on the council. “Bob could take it to you like no other when he felt strongly about an issue, and then he’d make sure you had everything you needed when you were going through a hard time even if that was an hour later. And he was equally passionate about both.”
“He was smart with numbers and had an incredible memory. The institutional knowledge the county is losing will be impossible to replace,” Blaney added.
County Board of Commissioners President Jeff Good, R-Center, called Poparad one of a kind.
“My thoughts and prayers go out to Bob’s family,” Good said. “I will truly miss our conversations and his thoughts on many subjects.”
Former Councilman Dan Whitten served with Poparad for a decade and a half. “He was a dedicated steward of taxpayer money. Deep down in his heart, he was just a great guy,” Whitten said.
“He was a phenomenal councilman,” County Clerk Jessica Bailey said. “He thoroughly researched each proposal and did his homework before attending a meeting. He asked the tough questions and leaves some very big shoes to fill.”
Poparad is survived by his wife of 45 years, Maria (Maple); children Kelley (m. Michael) Killebrew, Bob (m. Amber Rosetti) Poparad, Christina (m. Kenneth) Albright and Melanie (m. Jeremy) Kelly; multiple grandchildren; his sister, Marlene Knapp; in-laws, cousins, nieces, nephews and Aunt Babe. He was preceded in death by his parents, Emil and Sylvia Poparad, and his brothers, Ray and Bill.
Poparad, a 1976 graduate of Chesterton High, was a pipefitter with Local 597 before becoming a small business owner, P&P Oil and Pinkerton Oil. Poparad had served on the Burns Harbor Town Council, Burns Harbor Park Board, Porter County Council, the Board of Zoning Appeals and the Plan Commission.
Viewing is set for 4 p.m. to 8 p.m. Tuesday at CrossPointe Christian Church, 114 E. US Hwy 6, Valparaiso. The funeral will be at CrossPointe at 10 a.m. Wednesday. Burial will be at Chesterton Cemetery. Edmonds & Evans Funeral Home is handling arrangements.
State Sen. Lonnie Randolph, D-East Chicago
2nd Senate District
Represents: Hammond, Whiting, East Chicago, Gary (west side), Griffith, Hobart, Merrillville
Experience: State senator since 2008, previously served 1994-98; attorney
Committees: Commerce and Technology; Insurance and Financial Institutions (ranking member); Judiciary (ranking member); Rules and Legislative Procedure; Tax and Fiscal Policy; Utilities (ranking member)
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3rd Senate District
Represents: Gary, Lake Station, New Chicago, Hobart, Merrillville, Crown Point
Experience: State senator since 2016; community relations manager
Committees: Appropriations (ranking member); Education and Career Development; Health and Provider Services; Joint Rules; Rules and Legislative Procedure
State Sen. Rodney Pol Jr., D-Chesterton
4th Senate District
Represents: Ogden Dunes, Portage, Chesterton, South Haven, Burns Harbor, Beverly Shores, Michigan City, Westville
Experience: State senator since 2021; attorney
Committees: Corrections and Criminal Law (ranking member); Environmental Affairs; Local Government; Pensions and Labor; Public Policy
State Sen. Ed Charbonneau, R-Valparaiso
5th Senate District
Represents: Valparaiso, Hebron, Kouts, Jasper County
Experience: State senator since 2007; attorney
Committees: Appropriations; Ethics; Health and Provider Services (chairman); Rules and Legislative Procedure; Tax and Fiscal Policy
State Sen. Rick Niemeyer, R-Lowell
6th Senate District
Represents: St. John, Cedar Lake, Crown Point, Winfield, Lowell, Newton County
Experience: State senator since 2014, state representative 2012-14; small business owner
Committees: Environmental Affairs; Local Government; Tax and Fiscal Policy
State Sen. Mike Bohacek, R-Michiana Shores
8th Senate District
Represents: LaPorte County
Experience: State senator since 2016; consultant
Committees: Corrections and Criminal Law; Insurance and Financial Institutions; Judiciary; Local Government
Vacant following Jan. 11 resignation of state Sen. Frank Mrvan, D-Hammond
1st Senate District
Represents: Hammond (south side), Munster, Highland, Griffith, Dyer, Schererville
State Rep. Carolyn Jackson, D-Hammond
1st House District
Represents: Hammond, Whiting
Experience: State representative since 2018; retired Cook County, Ill., probation officer
Committees: Environmental Affairs; Family, Children and Human Affairs; Natural Resources
State Rep. Earl Harris Jr., D-East Chicago
2nd House District
Represents: East Chicago, Gary (west side)
Experience: State representative since 2016; small business owner
Committees: Government and Regulatory Reform; Roads and Transportation; Ways and Means
State Rep. Ragen Hatcher, D-Gary
3rd House District
Represents: Gary (downtown and east side), Lake Station, New Chicago, Hobart
Experience: State representative since 2018; attorney
Committees: Commerce, Small Business and Economic Development; Courts and Criminal Code (ranking member); Government and Regulatory Reform
State Rep. Ed Soliday, R-Valparaiso
4th House District
Represents: Valparaiso
Experience: State representative since 2006; aviation safety consultant
Committees: Elections and Apportionment; Roads and Transportation; Utilities, Energy and Telecommunications (chairman)
State Rep. Pat Boy, D-Michigan City
9th House District
Represents: Michigan City, Chesterton, Beverly Shores, Long Beach, Westville
Experience: State representative since 2018; retired small business owner
Committees: Environmental Affairs; Natural Resources (ranking member)
State Rep. Chuck Moseley, D-Portage
10th House District
Represents: Portage, Chesterton, Ogden Dunes, Burns Harbor, South Haven
Experience: State representative since 2008; financial solutions associate
Committees: Employment, Labor and Pensions; Roads and Transportation (ranking member); Veterans Affairs and Public Safety
State Rep. Mike Aylesworth, R-Hebron
11th House District
Represents: St. John, Cedar Lake, Lowell, Schneider, Hebron, Kouts
Experience: State representative since 2014; farmer, former state environmental regulator
Committees: Agriculture and Rural Development (vice chairman); Courts and Criminal Code; Environmental Affairs
State Rep. Mike Andrade, D-Munster
12th House District
Represents: Munster, Hammond (south side), Highland, Griffith
Experience: State representative since 2020; small businessman
Committees: Commerce, Small Business and Economic Development; Employment, Labor and Pensions; Veterans Affairs and Public Safety
State Rep. Vernon Smith, D-Gary
14th House District
Represents: Gary (south side), Merrillville
Experience: State representative since 1990; education professor at Indiana University Northwest
Committees: Education (ranking member); Judiciary; Local Government
State Rep. Hal Slager, R-Schererville
15th House District
Represents: Dyer, Schererville, St. John, Griffith
Experience: State representative 2012-18, reelected 2020; small business owner
Committees: Environmental Affairs; Ways and Means
State Rep. Douglas Gutwein, R-Francesville
16th House District
Represents: Newton, Jasper counties
Experience: State representative since 2008; small business owner
Committees: Agriculture and Rural Development; Environmental Affairs (vice chairman); Veterans Affairs and Public Safety
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19th House District
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Experience: State representative 2014-2018, reelected 2020; small business owner
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20th House District
Represents: LaPorte County
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Longtime Porter County Counilman Bob Poparad died.
Porter County Councilman Bob Poparad, D-1st
2019 compensation: $21,211
Source: Porter County Auditor’s Office
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