Ivan Fredrick Detwiler

Ivan Fredrick Detwiler, 95, passed away on Saturday August 5th 2023 at Bethlehem Woods Nursing Home and Rehabilitation facility. Born August 29th, 1927, he was the son of Jess and Irene Detwiler of Fort Wayne, Indiana. Ivan attended North Side High School and worked with his father as an apprentice in the family’s electrical business. In September of 1943, at age 16, he dropped out of High School to join the Navy. Due to his experience as an apprentice in the electrical business, he was assigned to Seabee’s (Naval Construction Battalion). He was assigned to the 31st Construction Battalion in Hawaii to maintain the electrical needs of the air strips. In 1945, Ivan was sent to Okinawa and later to Nagasaki to help re-build the city after the devastation caused by the atomic bombings of Japan that ended WWII. In May of 1946, he was honorably discharged from the Navy. He returned home to Fort Wayne, earned his GED, and in 1948 earned his Electrical Engineering Degree. Ivan owned several electrical contracting and construction businesses and later in life worked for and retired from Federal Express.

He is preceded in death by his parents, Jess and Irene Detwiler; a son, Kim Detwiler; two brothers, Nelson and Phillip Detwiler; and a sister, Margaret Douglass.

He is survived by one sister, Sandra Berning (Robert); five children, Mark Detwiler (Suzanne), Kevin Detwiler, Kerry Ruoff (Mark), Shellene Reich, John Detwiler; six grandchildren, Christopher Detwiler, Adele Detwiler, Emily Detwiler, Hannah Detwiler, Logan Detwiler (Scarlet), Antonia Kringas; and three great grandchildren.

Fond memories and expressions of sympathy may be shared at www.advantagemungovan.com for the Detwiler family.