Robert
C.
Winters

ROBERT CHARLES WINTERS, known to family and friends as "Bob" was born in Camden on October 6, 1931 to Harry L. Winters and his wife, the former Edna Mossman. The 1931 City Directory shows Harry and Edna Winters at 1283 Sayrs Avenue in Camden's Whitman Park neighborhood. Harry Winters then worked as an upholsterer. The 1940 Census shows that the family, which by then included younger brother Donald, had moved to 1307 Browning Street in the same neighborhood. Harry Winters was then working as a glass blower for a neon sign company. The Winters family were still at that address into the early 1980s. Harry L. Winters died in Camden in November of 1973. Edna Winters was still at that address as late as the fall of 1980.

A star first-basemen in high school, Bob Winters graduated from Camden High in 1949 and was signed by the Philadelphia Phillies. He played two season in the minor leagues, in 1950 for the Class D Carbondale Pioneers in the North Atlantic Baseball League, and in 1951 with the Class C Pittsfield Phillies in the Canadian-American League. Only one of his minor league teammates, Stan Palys, made it to the major leagues, playing with the Phillies and the Cincinnati Reds in the mid-1950s, nine more seasons with AA and AAA clubs in the Reds, Detroit Tigers, and Los Angeles Angels organizations, and for seasons with the Tokyo Orions in Japan before retiring after the 1967 season.

Bob Winters enlisted in the United States Coast Guard after the 1951 season, serving his country during the Korean War. Upon his discharge he returned to South Jersey, married, and played semi-pro ball. In 1958 he was appointed to the New Jersey State Police, where he served for 28 years, retiring in 1986. He went on to several other law enforcement related positions, including almost two years as the director of the Camden Police Department. He left public service once and for all in 1998.

A longtime resident of Turnersville, New Jersey, Robert C. Winters passed away on December 17, 2004.

Robert Winters - Camden High School
Infield - 2007

Bob was a three-year starting first baseman at Camden High School from 1947 to 49. He was named to the All Group Four Team in ' 48 and ' 49 batting over .300 and leading Camden in 1949 with a .347 average, and in RBIs and home runs. Following graduation, he signed with the Phillies, but after two seasons, he enlisted in the U.S. Coast Guard during the Korean War.

Following his discharge, he turned down the opportunity to return to the Phillies because of family commitments. He went on to play independent baseball in the Camden County League winning championships with M and S Machine in 1956 and Schillig's Black Horse Farms in 1957.

Philadelphia Inquirer - January 13, 1987

Police Head Takes Oath In Camden

By Rich Heidorn Jr.
Inquirer Staff Writer

Former State Police Maj. Robert C. Winters took the oath of office as Camden's police director yesterday, vowing to bring stability and reform to a department that has had five chiefs in the last six years.

"I'm glad to get this over with so we can get on with the business at hand," Winters told reporters after a small ceremony in Mayor Melvin ''Randy" Primas' office.

A 29-year state police veteran, Winters was appointed acting director of the department in November in an unusual state-city partnership. Primas appointed Winters after Police Chief R. Douglas Holmes retired following allegations he had lied about his involvement in a minor traffic accident in April.

Primas said he wanted an outsider to restructure the force before returning it to the stewardship of a chief drawn from the ranks - a task the mayor said he expected would take more than a year.

"We continue to look forward to rebuilding and restructuring and shaping a police department we can all be proud of," Primas said yesterday.

To circumvent Civil Service regulations - which would have prevented Winters' appointment as chief - Primas persuaded City Council to pass an ordinance creating the director's position. Under the arrangement, Winters' $49,840 salary will be paid by the state Department of Community Affairs.

Camden Courier-Post - December 19, 2014

Robert C. "Bob" Winters

AGE: 83 • Washington Twp.

Robert C. "Bob" Winters passed away on Wednesday, December 17, 2014. Bob was born on October 6, 1931 and raised in Camden. He attended Camden High School where he lettered for three years in football and baseball. He played in the Philadelphia Phillies minor league system for three years, and was inducted into the South Jersey Baseball Hall of Fame in 2007. He enlisted in the Coast Guard during the Korean War. Upon leaving the Coast Guard, Bob graduated from the NJ State Police Academy in 1958, embarking on a highly successful 28 year career during which he served at several stations in Southern New Jersey, in the Criminal Investigations Section, the Intelligence Bureau and as Chief of Investigations for the Division of Gaming Enforcement. He attained the rank of Major in 1970. During his career, he served on the Governor's Steering Committee for Casino Gaming, the National Law Enforcement Intelligence Unit, the Federal Joint Terrorist Task Force, and a member of the policy board for the Mid-Atlantic Great Lakes Law Enforcement Network. He was a coordinator for the State-Wide Intelligence System and lectured nationally on "Organized Crime and the Intelligence Process."

Upon retirement from the State Police in 1986, he was appointed as special assistant to the Director of the Division of Criminal Justice, where he served in many capacities. Based on his expertise, Bob was selected to serve as the director of the Camden Police Department, where then Mayor Melvin Primas directed him to modernize the department, make it more responsive to the citizenry and provide " the leadership and direction that has been lacking… to make it one Police Department." At the completion of this assignment in 1988, he functioned as coordinator for the Statewide Narcotics Action Plan and the Juvenile Justice Action Plan. He also served in the Casino Prosecutions Section in Atlantic City, investigating criminal activity in the casinos. He fully retired in 1998.

Bob is survived by his wife of 60 years, Claire, loving daughters Debra Winters (Robert Galasso) and Kim Poole (Steve Poole) and adoring grandchildren, Alison Mannetta (Michael), Nicole Poole, Danielle Poole and Ryan Poole. He is also survived by his brother, Donald L. Winters (Judy) as well many loving nieces and nephews.

A visitation will be held at the Egizi Funeral Home; 119 Ganttown Road, Turnersville, NJ from 6:00PM - 8:00PM on Sunday, December 21, 2014 and 9:30AM - 10:30AM on Monday, December 22, 2014. Funeral service will be held at the funeral home at 10:30AM followed by burial at the Gloucester County Veterans Memorial Cemetery, Williamstown.

In lieu of flowers, the family requests donations be made to the Melanoma Research Foundation, P.O. Box 759329 Baltimore, MD 21275-9329 or www.melanoma.org in memory of Robert C. Winters. .