James Reber

It is with great sadness that the family of James P. Reber announces his passing on Monday, March 24th, 2025, at Greenleaf Health Campus. Jim was born on August 4th, 1935, in Elkhart, IN to Ernest and Emma Reber. He grew up with 1 sister and 3 brothers and they all enjoyed spending time together, especially when they had their own families at their parent's lake cottage on Baldwin Lake, MI.

Jim attended Elkhart High school and graduated in 1955. While he attended school, he was President of The Boys League his senior year. Jim served in the United States Naval Reserves enlisting on November 23, 1953 and was honorably discharged on November 22, 1961. Jim worked at WTRC Radio in Elkhart before joining the Elkhart Fire Department on August 16, 1965. In February of 1968 he was transitioned to Fire Alarm Superintendent, then on January 1, 1972, he was promoted to Chief Alarm Superintendent. Jim retired from the fire department on August 17, 1989. He was very dedicated to serving his community and helping so many people throughout his career as a firefighter. He loved his job and said his fellow fire fighters were like his second family. Jim would do and help anyone in need. Jim was also very instrumental in the design and the setting up of the 911 center in downtown Elkhart. He was awarded Fire Fighter of the year in 1972 and 1979. Jim also worked for Emergency Radio services and later worked in Maintenance at the Elkhart Clinic till he retired.

Jim was someone that always needed to be doing something. He loved to work in his yard that was always meticulous and could fix anything that needed to be done. He was especially talented with electrical work. He would offer to help anyone with projects that needed to be done, especially his family.

Jim loved spending time with his daughter Stacey. When she was young, he taught her to swim, dive and water ski on the lake. He was an avid Blazer fan attending most football and basketball games. He volunteered to help with fundraisers with Elkhart Central Band where Stacey was a member and traveled to Europe with the Band in 1977.

Jim married Janice (Swihart) Larrence on November 22, 1986, in Elkhart. Jim loved to travel with his wife Jan to many places, including Hawaii, Mexico, Florida and both coastlines. They loved spending time together and were best friends. One of Jim's passions has always been fishing. It started with his dad and continued throughout his life. He and Jan fished together having a boat that they took out on Lake Michigan. He loved to fish for Salmon and perch and would fish on the surrounding lakes for Blue Gill. He recently taught his Granddaughter Allison and his Great Granddaughters the gift of fishing. The smile he had in watching them learn and love to fish was priceless. He also gave this gift to his grandson Matthew when he was young. He now is a commercial fisherman out east. His other passion was his dogs. He and Jan adopted many greyhounds over their years together and most recently have a Greyhound and a rescue Border Collie Lab mix. He loved his dogs, and they loved him back.

Jim touched many lives being a firefighter and putting others first. He will be greatly missed by his family and all that loved him. Jim had the most wonderful smile and could give us a beautiful smile almost to the end of his life. He will be remembered for all that he did for this community and his family. Jim is now in his eternal home free of pain and at peace.

We are all sure he is already fixing something in Heaven helping as he always has done. Surviving is his wife Janice Reber, daughter Stacey (Reber) Rodino (Terry), Stepdaughters: Gina Smith and Jodi (Smith) Miller (Erich), Granddaughter Allison (Rodino) Bailey (Patrick), Step-grandchildren: Matthew Miller, Clare Miller and Samuel Miller, Great-granddaughters: Meredith Bailey and Morgan Bailey. Siblings: Raymond Reber (Beverly), Larry Reber (Kathy). He was preceded in death by his parents, Ernest and Emma (Englehart) Reber, Sister Verlaine (Reber) Hoffman, Wayne Reber and Stepson Todd Smith.

Visitation for Jim will be from 11 am to 1 pm Friday March 28, 2025 at Stemm-Lawson-Peterson Funeral Home, 1531 Cobblestone Blvd., Elkhart, IN 46514 where a funeral service will be held at 1pm. Memorials for Jim may be made to Humane Society of Elkhart County, 54687 County Road 19, Bristol, IN 46507 or at www.elkharthumanesociety.org

Online condolences may be left at www.stemmlawsonpeterson.com