Dennis G. Raber

Dennis G. “Babe” Raber age 88, of Stone Creek died peacefully early Saturday, February 04, 2012, in Union Hospital at Dover following a brief illness.

A son of the late Jesse and Pearl (Mizer) Raber, Dennis was born on the family farm at Stone Creek on May 5, 1923. He attended Paulus Grade School and went on to attend Stone Creek High School.

In 1944, Dennis joined the United States Marine Corps and during World War II was stationed at California, and Hawaii before being deployed to the Volcano Islands and Iwo Jima where he participated in the invasion of IWO JIMA when the Marines raised the U.S. flag over Mt. Suribachi.

At a young age, the game of baseball intrigued Dennis and it became a lifelong passion. During his enlistment, he played for the United States Marine Corps baseball team alongside major league players Alvin Dark and Kenny Keltner, who both played with the Cleveland Indians.

Later, he became a team member and manager of the Stone Creek Brick baseball team that won the 1949 Tuscarawas County Championship. In 2002, he was inducted into the Cy Young Tuscarawas County Old Timers Baseball Association Hall of Fame and in 2007 received the Manager’s Award by the association. Through the years, Dennis continued his love for baseball by providing his grandson’s with pointers and coaching regarding the sport and traveled to be in attendance at many of their games.

On February 14, 1947, he married the love of his life, the former Norma Jean Brown in the Evangelical Reform Church at Stone Creek. The couple celebrated nearly 65 years of marriage prior to Norma’s passing November 13, 2011.

Dennis was proud of his forty year career at the former Stone Creek Brick Company where he started as a laborer and box car loader eventually working his way to plant foreman and superintendent prior to his retirement in 1988.

Dennis could always be found giving to and guiding his community. Over the years he enjoyed the fellowship and activities as a lifelong member of the Stone Creek Grace Community Church, serving as president of the Stone Creek American Legion, and was a town council member. He was also a founder and charter member of the Stone Creek Volunteer Fire Department, where he became the department’s second fire chief.

Dennis also enjoyed traveling to Tappan Lake to fish for walleye and often spent his summer vacation time in the Upper Peninsula of Michigan fishing as well. Once he retired he took up the hobby of finding and restoring antique Wheel Horse garden tractors.

Dennis will be missed by his daughter, Vickie (Tweed) Vorhees of Dover; a brother, Tony (Norma) Raber of Strasburg; and a sister-in-law and brother-in-law, Karen (Floyd) McCormick of Stone Creek;

Completing the family are two grandsons, Jeb Vorhees of Austin, Texas, and Jay (Carmel) Vorhees, of New Albany, Ohio; three nieces and three nephews and their families.

In addition to his parents and wife, Dennis was preceded in death by two brothers, Cy Raber and Gene Raber; and three sisters, Helen Stephan, Okie Raber, and Sally Hiles.

The family will receive friends on Tuesday, February 7, 2012, from 4:00 – 7:00 PM in the Linn-Hert-Geib Funeral Home & Crematory at New Philadelphia where a Stone Creek Volunteer Firefighters Service will be held at 7 PM. Pastor Paul Houdashelt will lead a funeral service celebrating Dennis’ life in Grace Community Church at Stone Creek on Wednesday at 11 AM with visitation one hour prior to the service. Burial will follow in the Stone Creek Cemetery.

Following services the family invites guests to join them for a luncheon reception in the social hall of Grace Community Church.

Memorial contributions in Dennis’ name may be directed to the Stone Creek Volunteer Fire Department PO BOX 78, Stone Creek, Ohio 43840 or to Grace Community Church, PO Box 97, Stone Creek, Ohio 43840.