Memorial services for Edwin (Ed) F. Garbe, who died Sunday, January 16, at Iowa Methodist Medical Center in Des Moines, will be held at 3:30 p.m. on Friday, January 21 at Maple Crest Centre Lounge at The Village Retirement Community in Indianola. Burial of cremains will be in the Fort Dodge Memorial Park Cemetery in Fort Dodge, Iowa, at a later date.

Mr. Garbe was born in Brooklyn, New York in 1921; graduated from Valley Stream Central High School, Long Island, New York in 1939; attended Manhattan College in Kansas; transferred to Iowa State University in Ames, Iowa earning a Bachelor of Science degree in Dairy Science in 1948. His career was with the U.S. Department of Agriculture as Chief Inspection and Grading Division. He began his work with the government in New York City as Regional Director of the East Coast Area, transferred to Washington D.C. in 1959, becoming chief of the division in 1967. Mr. Garbe retired in 1978. In addition to his professional career, he served in the US Army, Pacific Theater from 1942 to 1946.

After retirement Mr. Garbe was involved in a variety of volunteer community activities, including: twelve years with the Red Cross taking elderly persons shopping; thirteen years with the Arlington Hospital Auxiliary Program; three years as coordinator of the Fish Program for the church; twelve years as a coordinator for the home visitation program to the homebound.

Mr. Garbe influenced many people through the teaching of Bible Study classes at his church, Mt. Olivet United Methodist Church in Arlington, Virginia. In addition, his influence was felt in his work in Sunday School and other church activities. Ed was an historian and Bible scholar, in addition to being interested in gardening, painting, bridge, dancing, stamp collecting, and Elderhostel. The Garbes moved to The Village Retirement Community in Indianola in 1995.

Mr. Garbe was preceded in death by his parents. He is survived by his wife, Mildred, who continues to live at The Village; a sister, Elaine Koenig of Cromwell, Connecticut; three nephews, and one niece.

Overton Funeral Home is in charge of arrangements.