Bob Gribler

Herman F. "Bob" Gribler, former Cape Girardeau County Sheriff, 69, of Jackson passed away Thursday, Feb. 2, 2012, at his home.

He was born Feb. 21, 1942, in McGee, Mo., son of William and Dolly McKnight Gribler. He married Genevieve Welker Niswonger on April 15, 1988, in Jackson.

Bob attended Jackson High School, received a criminal justice degree from Southeast Missouri State University and honorably served in the U.S. Army during the Vietnam Era. He served for several years on the Jackson Police Department and was Cape Girardeau County sheriff from 1981 until 1984. He was employed by Procter & Gamble in Cape Girardeau and was a commercial armed security guard. He was a member of First Pentecostal Church in Cape Girardeau and taught adult Sunday school, was a member of Altenthal-Journes American Legion Post No. 158 in Jackson and was a lifetime member of the Excelsior Masonic Lodge No. 441 in Jackson, and the Masonic Lodge No. 615 in Chaffee, Mo. He was a charter board member and helped spearhead the Cape Girardeau County Major Case Squad and helped implement the Cape Girardeau County Neighborhood Watch Program.

Loving survivors include his wife of Jackson; a son, Bobby Gribler of Jackson; a daughter and son-in-law, Tammy and Jon Herpich of Licking, Mo.; a sister, Rebecca (Ed) Moore of Fruitland; a stepson, the Rev. Stephen (Tina) Niswonger of Chaffee; six grandchildren, Allison, Austin, and Arron Gribler, Jody (Tony) Barks, Lacie Stone and Dakota Herpich; three great-grandchildren, Kyson Cook, Kody Singleton and Emma Barks.

He was preceded in death by a daughter, Karen Sue Gribler; four brothers; and his parents.

Friends may call from 4 to 8 p.m. today at the chapel of McCombs Funeral Home and Cremation Center in Jackson. A Masonic service will be held at 7:30 p.m.

Funeral service will be at 10:30 a.m. Tuesday at the funeral home, with the Revs. Darrell Faire and Tom Wall officiating.

Interment will in Memorial Park Cemetery in Cape Girardeau, with full military honors.

Memorials may be made to St. Jude Children's Hospital, First Pentecostal Church Building Fund in Cape Girardeau or the American Cancer Society.

Sympathy messages may be sent to the family online at www.mccombsfuneralhome.com.