1/27/2017
Betty C. Fidler Garber Gifford, 92, went home to be with her Lord and Savior whom she loved, on Friday evening, January 27, 2017. She died at home, following acute pneumonia, secondary to Alzheimer’s, in the loving care of family, in Rolla, MO. Born to Spurgeon and Alma Fidler on April 22, 1924, in Detroit, Michigan, Betty was the only girl with five brothers: Martin, Robert, Donald, Richard (living), and Kenneth.
Betty graduated from Columbia High School, Columbia, PA, in 1942, and married her sweetheart, James F. Garber, Sr., on Christmas Day, 1943. The following day, James reported back to duty in the Army Air Force at the Bolling Field Air Force Base in Washington, D. C.
Following the war, they made Lancaster County, PA their home, and reared their three children: Jim, Cindy and Tom. Following the sudden death of her husband in 1981, Betty served as a missionary with Bible’s for the World. In 1990, she married widower, Merle Gifford. They moved to Rolla, MO in 2004 to be near family; Merle died in 2007.
Survived by a brother and 2 sisters-in-law; daughter Cynthia and husband Dan Smith of Rolla, MO; Thomas E. Garber and wife Linda of Williamsport, PA; step-daughter Dr. Darlene Gifford Bressler and husband, Dr. Charles Bressler of Marion, ID; also seven grandchildren: Jay Garber, Kerry Garber, Timothy Smith, Benjamin Smith, Warren Smith, Elizabeth Smith-Lin, and Kim Garber-Cawthern; one step-granddaughter, Heidi Bressler-Hilkert; 15 great- grandchildren; 1 great-great grandchild, and 2 step-great-grandchildren.
Preceded in death by: James F Garber, Sr., husband; Rev. Merle Gifford, husband; and son, James F. Garber, Jr.
All are invited to attend Betty’s Memorial Service, at Calvary Church, 1051 Landis Valley Rd. Lancaster, PA 17601, on Sat, Feb 4, 2017. Visitation at 10, service at 11AM with lunch following. The private family internment will be at the Ironville Cemetery, Columbia, PA.
In lieu of flowers, a tax deductible contribution in Betty’s memory may be sent to: I-TEC, 23 Green Hollow Road, Montoursville, PA 17754 (Son’s ministry, www.itec.org); or, Camp David of the Ozarks, P.O. Box 1607, Rolla, MO 65402 (Grandson’s ministry, www.CampDavidOzarks.org); Or, Bibles for the World, P.O. Box 49759, Colorado Springs, CO 80949, (Betty’s ministry, www.biblesfortheworld.org)