William "Bill" Jacob Harber

William “Bill” Jacob Harber, 93, of Ossian, Indiana, passed away on August 7, 2025 at his home. Bill was born on August 2, 1932, to the late Jacob Aloysius Harber and Isabella Gertrude (Weller) Harber in Fort Wayne, Indiana. After graduating from Central Catholic High School, he served in the United States Navy from 1952-1956, on the USS Prichett and the USS Huntington. After his time in the military, Bill worked for General Telephone in Fort Wayne, where a co-worker introduced him to Carolyn “Sue” Butcher. They married in 1958 and lived a happy life together until her death in 2003. He has been missing her greatly. They moved to a farm in Ossian in 1970, where they had ample space to raise their children, as well as a variety of animals and food crops. Bill had a special fondness for antique farm equipment and telephones, which he enjoyed collecting over the years. He was also known for his jokes and playfulness, which brought warmth and smiles to his entire family. His grandchildren held a special place in his heart, and he cherished his time spent with them. Bill is survived by his eight children;16 grandchildren; 13 great-grandchildren; two sisters; one brother; and his loyal dog, Sally. He was also preceded in death by his wife, Sue; and his grandson, Justin Francis Bloomer. Bill will be greatly missed. Visitation will be held from 2:00 pm to 4:00 pm and 5:00 pm to 7:00 pm on Friday, August 15, 2025 at Elzey-Patterson-Rodak Funeral Home, 120 West Mill Street Ossian, Indiana 46777. A Mass of Christian Burial will be held at 11:00 am on Saturday, August 16, 2025 at St. Aloysius Church, 14623 Bluffton Road, Yoder, Indiana 46798, with visitation one hour prior. Burial to follow the service at St. Aloysius Catholic Church Cemetery. In lieu of flowers, memorial donations can be made to St. Aloysius Catholic Church.