Edwin Richard (Dick) Gabler, age 91, died peacefully on Friday, September 20, 2024. He was born in Chambersburg, PA on 11/4/32, son of Merle and Geneva (Nesbit) Gabler.
Dick attended schools in that area, graduating from Chambersburg High School in 1950. He attended Duke University on an ROTC scholarship and graduated in 1954. Upon graduation he was commissioned as an officer in the United States Navy where he served for three years. Upon fulfilling his naval duties he was employed by Connecticut General Life Insurance Company of Hartford, CT (now known as CIGNA) where he had a career of 37 years as a pension actuary, retiring as a Senior Vice President and Consulting Actuary. His accomplishments at CIGNA afforded him and his wife the opportunity to travel to many recognition events and also fueled their later passion for international travel once retired.
Dick was committed to the churches he attended over the course of his life. He participated in the annual fundraising campaigns of many churches (Simsbury, CT, Bath OH, Wyoming, DE). Starting in 1988 he served as Director of the Pension Boards, a non-profit corporation responsible for collecting, investing, administering and disbursing the benefit fund programs for approximately 20,000 ministers and lay workers of the church. In 1993 he was elected Vice Chairperson of the Corporation and served in that voluntary capacity for 8 years. Continuing his spirit of community service, he served as President for two years of the Wild Quail Homeowners Association and for six years as the chairperson of the local Dover Supper Club.
In Dick and Lee's post-retirement years they were fortunate enough to travel globally as well as visit the holy land twice. Dick always expressed appreciation and admiration for his wife of 66 years, Lee, who he said was his teammate, companion, partner, caregiver and number one person in his life.
He was an avid sports fan and a lifelong Phillies Baseball fan and later a Philadelphia Flyers fan, having developed a love of hockey from his years in CT when the Hartford Whalers were present. He also was an accomplished athlete himself and loved a competitive game of table tennis, earning the honor of CT State Champion. Music was a great source of joy and played frequently in the home, starting as a young man at Duke, when he played trombone in an 18-member dance band that performed at governors' balls and all around the state of NC. He also was quietly creative in-home projects, building beautiful stone walls around their homes and able to take apart almost anything and fix it like new. He was an animal lover and could frequently be found with his daughter's Golden Retriever glued to his side when he visited. He was so proud of all three of his grandchildren and loved to hear of their progress and achievements.
He is survived by his wife, Barbara Lee, daughters, Kim Gabler of Venice FL, Lindsay Prospect (Ted) of Longboat Key, FL and Bloomfield, CT, brother Ray (Judy) of Jacksonville, FL and grandchildren Daniel (Molly), Lauren, Andrea (Colby) and great grandchildren Patrick and Connor.
In addition to his parents, he was preceded in his death by his older brother Wilmot.
A memorial gathering to celebrate his life will be held at the Wyoming Methodist Church, 216 Wyoming Mill Road, Dover, DE 19904 at 11:00 a.m. on Saturday, September 28th.
Those wishing to remember his life may do so in lieu of flowers through a gift to the outreach team at Wyoming United Methodist Church or Delaware Hospice.
Letters of condolences may be sent and guest book signed at www.torbertfuneral.com.