Robert Douglas Pickelsimer

It is with sadness that we announce the passing of Robert Douglas Pickelsimer, a man whose life was as colorful and unpredictable as the tales he’d tell, Sunday, February 23, 2025 at the age of 67.  

Born January 9, 1958, in Pikeville, Kentucky, Robert, known to many simply as Bob (or in his wrestling days, “Colonel Bob Douglas” or “The Baron”), lived a life that defied easy description — because frankly, no one could ever keep up with him long enough to pin down just one. A true Jack of all trades, Robert’s career portfolio reads like a list of action movie plotlines. From serving as a private investigator (with a knack for finding out what you really didn’t want to know), to his days as a bail bondsman (talking people out of trouble with the smoothness of a velvet sofa), Robert also found time to be a psychiatric aide at Southwest Virginia Mental Health Institute and a security guard at Mountain States Health Alliance, where his secret weapon wasn’t a badge, but his quick wit and a smile that could talk anyone down from a ledge — or talk them into a good laugh. Whether he was tracking down a missing person, calming down a tense situation, or securing a building (with one hand, and usually holding a cigarette in the other), Robert had a gift for making the complex seem simple, and the simple seem like a grand adventure. His ability to talk — and talk fast — was rivaled only by his ability to keep a straight face, even when he was making the rest of us wish we were better at rolling with his wild stories. Robert leaves behind a legacy that’s not easily summarized, but let’s give it a shot: He was a man who didn’t just live in the world, he waltzed across it, leaving behind a trail of stories that will be retold for generations. He’s survived by countless friends, family, and a very well-worn leather jacket that somehow made its way into every adventure. May Robert rest in peace — though it’s a good bet that his stories will keep coming long after we think they’ve ended.

Robert is survived by his son, Robby Douglas Picklesimer and wife, Gayle; two granddaughters, Olivia Picklesmier and Trinity Picklesmier.

In keeping with Robert's wishes, there will be no services. 

To share memories of Robert Douglas Picklesimer, please visit www.seaverbrown.com. Care for Robert has been entrusted to Fraziers’ Seaver-Brown Funeral Service & Crematory, 237 East Main Street, Marion VA 24354.