Harry "Toot" Gabbard, 93, of Connersville died at 2:25 A.M., Sunday, June 21, 2009 at Fayette Regional Health Services where he had been a patient since June 15th. He had been a resident of Heritage House of Connersville since August 2005. He was born February 15, 1916 in Metamora, Indiana area, the youngest of two sons of John and Mary B. Thornton Gabbard. During World War II he served in the U. S. Army 82nd Airborne Division Gliders Corps, which played a key role in the invasion of Normandy on D-Day and in military maneuvers in Sicily, Southern France and the Rhineland. On December 28, 1941, he was married to Martha Della Mansberger of York Springs, Pennsylvania and they moved to Connersville for residence in 1946. Mrs. Gabbard died February 3, 2002. Along with his wife he attended First Baptist Church of Connersville, was a member of the American Legion Post #1, AMVETS and V.F.W. In his leisure, he enjoyed antiques, restoring furniture and antique cars, especially Model A and Model T Fords, and Ford Mustangs. For 38 years, he was a machinist for McQuay-Norris, retiring in 1978. Following his retirement as a machinist, he became employed at Maces Supermarket for several years and worked at various part-time jobs, retiring for the final time from the work force at the age of 86. Survivors include: three daughters, Barbara Lake of Orlando, Florida, Patricia VanHook and husband James of Connersville, and Jean Petersen of Bowling Green, Kentucky; 8 grandchildren: Jennifer Lunsford of Connersville, Julia Mills of Orlando, Florida, Janet Beeson of Connersville, Jim Lake of Orlando, Florida, Joshua Petersen of Orlando, Florida, Katie Neal of Lexington, Kentucky and Greg Petersen of Bowling Green, Kentucky, 4 great-grandchildren: Sarah Lake, Elizabeth Mills and Emily Mills all of Orlando, Florida, and Kaylynn VanHook of Connersville; and numerous nieces, nephews and cousins. Besides his wife of nearly 60 years, Martha D. Gabbard, he is preceded in death by a brother, William Gabbard; a great-granddaughter, Sara Beth Mills; and two son-in-laws, Brett Petersen and James D. Lake.