Gregory Lawrence DeHart

Gregory Lawrence DeHart passed away Friday, August 11, 2023 at Grandview Hospital, Dayton, OH. He was born in Troy, OH on June 14, 1948 to Henry Madison DeHart and Margaret Nancy DeHart (née Quillen). Raised in Greenup, KY before moving back to Ohio, Greg attended Tippecanoe High School and graduated in 1967.

Greg is survived by his partner, Debbie S. Conley; his two daughters, Tina (Daryl) DeHart-Williams and Tami DeHart of Troy, OH; his sister Geneva (Ton) Visser of Greensboro, GA; his niece Lena (Brady) Szymanski; grandchildren: Cameron DeHart, Caleb DeHart, Bailey Williams, Keiran Williams, Rhys Williams, Versaya DeHart, Lexi Zirkle, Heaven Martin, Amoriesa DeHart, Kaitlyn Williams, and Braxten Zirkle; honorary granddaughters Kaylee and Savana Foster; and his adoring cat, Olaf.

In addition to his parents, Greg was preceded in death by his brother, Ronald David DeHart, and two grandchildren, Bralen and Taela.  

Greg was a proud U.S. Marine who lived by the motto, “Improvise, adapt, and overcome”. He enlisted from 1968 to 1972, and served a tour of duty in Vietnam (1969-70), where he worked as an aviation ordnanceman. Greg also served in Guantanamo Bay, Cuba, and was stationed in Beaufort, SC. He retired from the USMC with the rank of sergeant and several commendations, including the Vietnam Service Medal, Good Conduct Medal, and Rifle Expert Medal.

Greg joined the Troy Police Department auxiliary force in 1974 before being hired as a full police officer. In addition to the police academy, where he won commendation for his marksmanship, Greg attended Sinclair Community College and received an associate’s degree in criminal justice. In 1979, Greg was shot in the line of duty while stopping an armed robbery at the former 7-Eleven on Staunton Ave in Troy, for which he was awarded the Purple Heart medal and the Troy Noon Optimist Club Law Officer of the Year award.

Through the 1980s-90s, Greg worked as a detective and gained a reputation as an effective crimefighter and compassionate public servant. He served on Troy’s SWAT team, the Dayton drug task force, as a coroner’s investigator, and hostage negotiator. He was especially proud of his work with children, for which he won the 1989 Noon Optimist Club “Friend of the Youth” award.

After retiring from the Troy Police Department in 1996, Greg worked for Key II Security in Troy before beginning a decades-long career as the security investigations manager for R&L Carriers in Wilmington, OH. Beloved by his bosses and co-workers, he specialized in investigating fraud, theft, and suspicious shipments. For his service to the company, Greg was inducted to the R&L Carriers President’s Club in 2019.

Greg’s favorite pastime was working with cars and tools. A self-taught mechanic from the age of 12, he spent his evenings and weekends tinkering in his garages. As a young man, Greg enjoyed drag racing and had plans to return to racing later in life. He raced at Kil-Kare Raceway and competed as “Captain Justice” in local demolition derbies. When he wasn’t driving cars, Greg also enjoyed boating and aspired to receive his pilot’s license.

Greg had an amazing sense of humor and an uncanny ability to make people laugh. He was silly and sarcastic, never failing to lift the spirits of those around him. Greg was a dedicated family man, never hesitating to give support and love when it was needed. To friends, family, and strangers alike, he was fair, generous, and respectful. Above all, he was loyal to his grandchildren, who cherished Friday nights at Papa’s house.

The family will receive friends on Friday, August 18 from 4pm to 8pm at the Baird Funeral Home. Services will be held at 10:30am on Saturday, August 19 with interment to follow in the Riverside Cemetery, Troy, OH. Condolences may be expressed to the family through www.bairdfuneralhome.com.