Gary Hart Haberl, 66, of
Coldwater, passed away Thursday, June 13, 2019 at Glenn Arbor Hospice Residence
in Battle Creek.
A memorial gathering will take
place on Monday, June 17, 2019 from 4:00 until 8:00 PM at Dutcher Funeral Home
in Coldwater. A Celebration of Life Service will be held on Tuesday, June 18,
2019 at 3:00 PM at The Ponds of Coldwater.
Gary was born September 28, 1952
to Howard and Merle (Herrmann) Haberl in Columbia, Illinois. He was a 1970
graduate of Gibault High School in Columbia, Illinois where he earned 8 varsity
letters which included basketball, baseball and golf. He was the winner of the
Vernie Moffitt Free Throw Award in 1969-1970.
Gary was an all conference
basketball selection for 3 years in the Charles Conference as well as being
named All-Metropolitan St. Louis Area. During his senior year, he was named the
Gibault High School most valuable athlete. He amassed 1418 career points in
basketball and was later inducted into the Gibault High School Hall of Fame.
After graduating from Gibault
High School, Gary attended MacMurray College in Jacksonville, Illinois, played
on their basketball team, was named Assistant Basketball Coach by Coach Bill
Wall in his senior year-1973-74 and then graduated with his Bachelor of Arts
Degree in Political Science.
Gary began his business career
in 1977 with WTVB/WNWN of which he became a radio broadcaster, manager and part
owner of Tri State Broadcasting. He was inducted into the Coldwater High School
Hall of Fame for bringing local sports into the community on WTVB.
In 1991,
Gary was employed with Infinisource in Coldwater, retiring as the President and
CEO in 2016.
He was also an owner of
Lamplighter Bar and Grill of Coldwater and Olivet and Bellacino’s Restaurants
in St. Louis, Missouri.
Gary was a former member of
Coldwater Rotary Club, he was active in the Coldwater City League sports Omar’s
softball team, basketball team and downhill ski team. He also played on the
Rotary softball team.
He enjoyed golf, sports – mainly
basketball, boating, and Sunday noon at the Lamplighter, spending time with his
family and especially his grandchildren.
Gary volunteered with ProMedica
Hospice, the Hospital Legacy Circle Board, and many years with the Southern Michigan Bank and Trust Board of
Directors. He was a member of the National Association of Health Underwriters,
the Employers Council for Flexible Compensation, the National Association of
Professional Benefit Administrators, and the World Health Care Congress.
Gary is survived by his wife
Catherine “Cate” Chapin, who he married on December 14, 1974 in Springfield,
Illinois; his children, Erica (Mark) Nuyen of Chesterfield, Missouri, Caroline
(Chris) Van Arsdale of Phoenix, Arizona and Joseph Haberl of Denver, Colorado;
his grandchildren, Xavier and Isaiah Nuyen of Chesterfield, Missouri and Oscar
and Minna Van Arsdale of Phoenix, Arizona; his siblings, Cindy (John) Toal of
Columbia, Illinois, Pam (Beth) Hendrix of Lake of the Ozarks, Missouri, Tim
(Pam) Hart Haberl of Quincy, and Scott (Marilyn) Haberl of St. Louis, Missouri.
He was preceded
in death by his parents, and his brother Dan Haberl.
Memorial contributions may be
directed to the Branch County Community Foundation, Hospice Care of Southwest
Michigan, or ProMedica Coldwater Regional Hospice.
