April 7, 1920 - July 14, 2010

ELKHART -- Jacob Benjamin "Jake" Garver Sr., 90, of Elkhart, died at 5:15 p.m. Wednesday (July 14, 2010) of natural causes in Hospice House of Elkhart.

He was born April 7, 1920, in Harbor Springs, Mich., to Jacob O. and Selma (Whittaker) Garver. He married Iva Blanche Niswander on Dec. 7, 1940, in Petoskey, Mich. She survives at home.

Also surviving are daughters Ruth Ann (Ron) Sommer of Goshen and Linda (John) Curtiss of Mishawaka; daughter-in-law Rachel Garver of Jenison, Mich.; sister Pauline Terpening of Harbor Springs; nine grandchildren; and 23 grandchildren.

He was preceded by his parents; son Jacob Jr.; brothers Oliver, Cliff, Ken and Lewis Garver; and sisters Ruth Terpening, Lione Rose, Lorraine Luettjohn and Lois Sniveley.

Jake was a salesman for Hankey Lumber of Petoskey for more than 30 years, retiring in the mid-1980s. He was a longtime member of the California Road Missionary Church and was an accomplished woodworker and avid reader. He was also a veteran of the U.S. Army during World War II, serving in the Po Valley in Italy.

Visitation will be from 3 to 7 p.m. Sunday (July 18, 2010) at Billings Funeral Home, 812 Baldwin St., Elkhart. The service will be at noon Monday (July 19, 2010) at California Road Missionary Church, 29765 C.R. 12, Elkhart. Pastor Bud Walterhouse will officiate. Interment at Chapel Hill Memorial Gardens, Osceola, will follow the service. The U.S. Army Funeral Honor Guard and the Elkhart DAV Chapter 19 will render graveside military honors.

Memorial contributions may be given to the church.