GOSHEN — Dean Kenneth Garber, 81, of 1017 Greene Road, died at 3:35 pm. Thursday in AmeriCare Living Center of cancer. Survivors include his wife, Marjorie P. Roose; a daughter. Evelyn S. Anglemyer of Goshen; three sons. Dale K. and Abe L. both of Goshen, and Merle L of Indianapolis; a sister, Jolene E. Goshen, where she had been a resident since May 2002. Born February 19, 1921. to Abraham and Florence (Miller) Garber in Jefferson Township. Elkhart County, Ind. Graduated from Middlebury High School in 1939. Married Majorie P Roose, August 7, 1943 by Rev Harold Miller, Pastor of the Brethren Church of Middlebury. Worked two years at Northern Indiana Brass Company. He was drafted in September 1942 into the Army Air Corps, attended the Pratt Whitney Airplane Engine School at Flint, Mich.; stationed on Guam 1944-45 and worked mostly on B-24's and B-29's and a few B-17's and B-25's. In 1946 he learned the carpenter trade from Noble Vance. In August 1947 he built his home on Green Road. Worked for B. G. Christman construction Company of South Bend; 1948-50 worked on the Woolworth Dime Store and the J.C Penney store in Elkhart. Then he was sent to South Bend to help erect the Sears Roebuck building. In 1951 he went to work for Place company building houses in South Bend. One year later he was in charge of two work crews. He was the first person to install aluminum siding on a house in South Bend. In 1960 he was foreman in charge of the mill work and building the house wall panels. In 1967 he started the ancestry of Jacob and Esther (Resch) Garber family; had it printed in 1970; added more information and had it reprinted in 1981. Joined the Elkhart County Genealogy in 1970-99. Was put in charge of the task of inscriptions in the cemeteries. In 1990 the first book was printed of Benton, Clinton, Elkhart, Jackson Township cemetery records. In 1955 he became interested in old carpenter tools. In 1957 he joined the Early American Industries Association, and antique tool collector group. In 1968 he was one of the 28 members that established the Mid-West Tool Collectors Association. In 1970 he joined the Elkhart Historical Society and started to redo all display rooms, was a director for 12 years. Served several years at the County Historian for the Indiana State Historical Society. For fourteen years he did research on the history of the One Room Schools of Elkhart County. It was given to the Goshen Historical Society to be published. He worked on several building for the Wakarusa Historical Society and also was director of the Society. In May Of 1993, he was named the Goshen Historian of the year by the Goshen Historical Society. He was a member of the First Brethren Church. He is survived by. his wife; a daughter, Evelyn (Scott) Anglemyer of Goshen; three sons, Dale (Kay) Garber, Abe (Margaret) Garber, both of Goshen, and Merle (Nancy) Garber of Indianapolis; 14 grandchildren and three great-grandchildren; a sister, Jolene E (John) Bollinger of Goshen, Ind.; and a brother, Paul M. (Mary) Garber of Middlebury, Indiana. Preceding him in death are his parents; a sister, Betty Luke; and two brothers, Allen and Ralph Garber. Friends may call from 2 to 4 and 6 to 8 p.m Sunday, November 3, 2002, at Rieth-Rohrer-Ehret. Funeral Home. Goshen where the services will be at 10 30 am Monday. Nov 4 2002 Pastor John Howenstine of the First Brethren Church, Goshen, will officiate and burial will be in West Goshen Cemetery. Memorials may be directed to the First Brethren Church or the Wakarusa Historical Society.

South Bend Tribune, November 2, 2002, p8