April 28, 1933 – April 1, 2020
Beloved school principal, Victor Elden Harber, 86, went to be with Jesus on Wednesday, April 1, 2020. He was born on April 28, 1933 in St. Charles, Va., and was one of Jerry and Cornie (née Cottrell) Harber’s 11 children. Jerry was killed in a coal-mining accident when Victor was just six years old, and Victor grew up in Rose Hill, Va.
Despite his aversion to English class, he earned his G.E.D, a bachelor’s degree in business management from Lincoln Memorial University, a master’s degree in elementary education from Ball State University, and an administrative license. Victor had served two years in the U.S. Army, including a tour in Korea, so he earned his college education through the G.I. Bill. He devoted most of his adult career to education – as a high school and grade school teacher, and then, for 19 years as principal of Noblesville North Elementary School.
Before finding his vocation, Victor worked at a fuel pump testing facility in Willoughby, Ohio, where co-worker, Armour Campbell, who was also from Rose Hill, showed Victor a picture of his younger sister, Thelma. Victor’s heart melted, and he told Armour that he was going to marry Thelma. He quit his job, moved to Rose Hill, bought a gas station, and began courting her.
On the morning of her high school graduation, he presented her with an engagement ring and proposed. She happily accepted, and they were married on September 13, 1957. On their first wedding anniversary, they welcomed their daughter Vicki home, and their family was complete.
Victor had the privilege of being Vicki’s sixth-grade math teacher. Although, like any child of a teacher, she was a bit apprehensive about being in her father’s class, but by the end of the year, she told her parents she wished she could have him as her teacher for everything. Throughout grade school, Victor and his namesake could be found in his classroom or at their kitchen table with Victor grading papers while Vicki did her homework. Thelma worked at the grade school library, so education was the family business.
Victor also enjoyed volunteering in Vicki’s after-school clubs. He served as the president of the Noblesville High School Band Parents Organization, and he was such a great helper with her Girl Scout troop – Hoosier Capitol Girl Scout Council Troop 651 – that they signed him up as an official member.
He volunteered for his community as well, serving in a variety of roles with the Lions Club, including president of the Noblesville chapter and district-level offices, too. In 2002, he was inducted into the Lincoln Memorial University’s Hall of Fame for his leadership in the field of education.
When he and Thelma retired, they moved to Rose Hill, where they bought a rambling house with plenty of room to entertain family and friends, which they did frequently. They continued to volunteer, even spending a week on a crew repairing houses after Hurricane Katrina.
They kept in touch with their Noblesville friends, and eventually, they decided to return to Indiana, where their long-time home happened to be available for purchase. So, they settled back into their community, especially their church.
A constant throughout Victor’s life was his faith. He, Thelma and Vicki were active members of Noblesville First United Methodist Church, and Victor served in just about every leadership role possible. He was, at various times, a lay leader, a Sunday School teacher, a worship leader and a member of countless committees. Early in his career in education, Victor left to study at a seminary and even served as the minister for two churches at the same time. But education was where God needed him, and he returned to teaching and administration for the rest of his career. Through his work, he improved the lives of thousands of children, which is even more impressive considering that one of his high school English teachers once described him as a “pleasant, but poor student.”
Victor Harber died during the COVID-19 pandemic, so the celebration of his impactful life had to be postponed until now. His family and friends are eager to gather and share their stories of how Victor positively influenced them. His funeral service is scheduled for 11 a.m. on Saturday, May 1, 2021, at Noblesville First United Methodist Church, 2051 E. Monument St., Noblesville. Visitation will be immediately before the service from 9 to 11 a.m.
Memorial contributions may be made to First United Methodist Preschool, 2051 Monument St., Noblesville, IN 46060.
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