Robert Eugene Poulk Sr.was born on 28 Jan 1929 in Wichita, Kansas to Osmond H. Poulk (born Georgia) and Leona Mae Lynn (born Kansas). They lived in Kansas until Bob was eight years old when they moved to Texas for two years. Osmond was a roust-about for the oil rigs and so they moved to where ever the work would take them. When Bob was about ten years old they moved to New Mexico, where they stayed for three years. From there they moved to San Diego, California and then to El Cajon, California when he was fourteen years of age. He attended Grossmont High School, graduating in 1947. Osmond and Bob got work as pipe fitters when Bob was eighteen years old and so they moved to Maywood, California that year. They settled into a home next door to the Tellman family where he fell in love with Nancy Adeline Tellman. In 1949 Osmond and Leona bought a café in Dumas, Texas and Bob worked there until joining the Army. Bob and Nan married 12 May 1950 in Albuquerque, New Mexico. Their honeymoon was spent exploring the Carlsbad Caverns. 20 Jun 1952 Bob was drafted into the Army and was stationed in Ft. Ord California where he served in the 63rd Infantry Regiment. Nan remained in Dumas with his folks. When returning from Dumas, Texas (while on leave) he was involved in a car accident, fracturing two vertebrae in his neck. He recovered and then returned to active duty. Nancy moved up to Ft. Ord at that time and their first child was born by the end of 1953. Bob was honorably discharged 10 Jun 1954 having received the Good Conduct Medal and the National Defense Service Medal. He served six years in the US Army Reserves being honorably discharged 19 Jun 1960. Once discharged from Ft. Ord, in 1954, He and Nan moved to Temple Texas. Osmond and Leona had bought "Poulks Drugs Sandwiches Fountain" and Bob helped run this and also worked at the "American Desk Factory" in Temple while he went to college. He received an associate's degree in accounting. During this period of time their second child was born in 1955. They moved to Colorado where he then attended the Colorado School of Trades for two years receiving a diploma in Gunsmithing. Their 3rd child was born that same year. He got a job as a lathe operator for Redfield Gunsight Co. while going to school and upon graduation became their official gunsmith. Shortly thereafter he set up a gun shop in Edgewater, Colorado, (Crest Firearms) and ran it for seven years, closing the doors in 1965. He and Nancy moved to Evergreen, Co. that year. During this period of time their family grew to seven children, one of whom died just hours after birth. He worked for MDC products as quality control inspector in Denver, Co. and ran a gun shop part time out of him home in Evergreen, Co. In 1972 Bob and Nancy, with five of their children, moved to northern British Columbia. They bought 360 acres of wilderness and he began gunsmithing full time again. In 1982, Bob and Nancy divorced and he returned to the United States. He worked as a hired hand on a farm for a short while before working for a gunsmith in Mukilteo, WA. He moved to Snoqualmie, WA. in 1985 and worked as a machinist for several years at various jobs. He worked for Sears's repair/ service department until 1990 when he began gunsmithing again, fulltime. In the fall of 2001 he decided to move to Silver City, New Mexico where, due to the post 9-11-2001 economy, he was unable to establish a gun shop. He returned to Washington State for a few months before moving to Idaho Falls, Idaho in Aug 2004 where he retired and spent the remaining years of his life.

As a teenager he dove off the cliffs of southern California, and he got his pilot license when he was seventeen. He was a boy scout and a member of the civilian air watch patrol. He became a life member of the NRA. He loved to hunt and hike and was a traditional outdoorsman. Bob hunted through out the Midwestern states and up into British Columbia. He loved the Rocky Mountains most of all. He loved animals and they loved him. He was an avid reader and an artist (he did inlaid carvings and checkering on gun stocks as a medium). He was a lover of the arts, and enjoyed classical music most of all. However, he had an eclectic taste in music and was always encouraging the talents of his children. He enjoyed artworks by Remington and many others. He was a great humanitarian, stepping up to help others when it was needed. Most of all he loved his children dearly. He is survived by six of his children, seven grandchildren, and six great grandchildren. He is predeceased by one infant son and his parents. He will be greatly missed.