Richard Lavern Sober

Richard (Dick) L. Sober of Sebring, Ohio, passed away peacefully at Alliance City Hospital on May 22, 2023 in Alliance, Ohio. The family praises and thanks the nurses who gave him such loving care.

He was born November 14, 1939 in Mason, Michigan, the oldest son of Charles William and Doris Virginia (Klein) Sober. Dick graduated from Stockbridge High School in Stockbridge, Michigan in 1958. He married Mary Jane (Smith) on September 4, of 1958. After Dick completed basic training in the United States Army, they began married life together while he served at Fort Ord in California. He was discharged from active duty to the Michigan National Guard in December of 1958, and continued to serve through August of 1965, when he was honorably discharged.

After discharge from active duty, Dick began his civilian employment. While initially working for employers in positions that paid the bills, but did not excite him, Dick's career employment began with a part-time position in the shoe department for the J.C. Penney Co. in the Arborland shopping center store in Ann Arbor, Michigan in 1964. He transferred to his first management position in the Saginaw, Michigan store. Thus began, a life of frequent transfers and many promotions within J.C. Penney store management: From the Saginaw store, he moved to the stores in West Seneca, New York; Greensburg, Pennsylvania; North Olmsted, Ohio; Sandusky, Ohio; Boardman, Ohio; Grosse Pointe, Michigan; and, finally, to Kingston, New York, where Dick retired from J.C. Penney in 1996 as the store manager. Dick loved his customers and his co-workers throughout his J.C. Penney career.

After retiring from J.C. Penney, Dick kept busy with some part-time positions while Mary continued teaching. When Mary also retired, Dick and Mary returned to Ohio, moving to Roaming Shores, Ohio. Dick and Mary lived in Roaming Shores from 2002 to 2010 and moved to Copeland Oaks, in Sebring, Ohio in 2011.

While living in Roaming Shores, Dick accepted Jesus Christ as his Savior and publicly acknowledged that he was a sinner saved by God's grace.

Dick was blessed to marry Dixie Warner Sober on February 22, 2014 in Salem, Ohio. They were a caring, loving couple. Dick and Dixie enjoyed traveling, especially trips to Hawaii and Alaska, playing card games, doing jigsaw puzzles, watching the Indians play baseball, and watching grandchildren participating in sports. Dixie survives him.

Dick is also survived by children Wayne (Toni) Sober of Pepper Pike, Ohio, Deborah (John) lacchini of Coventry, Rhode Island, Scott (Lori) Sober of West Branch, Michigan, Dirk (Gina) Warner of Alliance, Ohio, Dack (Kellie) Warner of Alliance, Ohio and Milli (Dean) Brown of Dayton, Ohio.

Dick is survived by grandchildren Andrew (Shannon) Blake, Matthew (Jeannine) Blake, Erin (Bradley) Grasl, Luke (Elana) Sober, Shane (Aislyn) Sober, Danielle Sober, Jakob Warner, Dakota Warner, Audra (Jonathan) Whitesell, Austin Brown, Alaina Brown (Brandon Jacobs), Abigail (Mark) Moore, Annie Brown, Amelia Brown, Addison Brown, Sophia Miller (Frankie O'Laughlin), Augustine Warner, Isabella Warner, Maria Warner, Benjamin Warner and Teresa Warner.

Dick is survived by great-grandchildren Walker Whitesell, Mason Blake, Dean Moore and Daenerys Sober.

He was preceded in death by his first wife, Mary, his parents, and by his siblings, Constance and Ronald.

Memorial contributions may be made to any of his favorite charities: St. Jude Children's Research Hospital, Inc., 501 St. Jude Place, Memphis, Tennessee, Father Flanagan's Boys' Home, 14100 Crawford Street, Boys Town, Nebraska 68010, or The Oaks Foundation, 715 South Johnson Road, Sebring, Ohio 44672.

On Tuesday, May 30, 2023, a gathering of family and friends will take place an hour (starting at 10:30 am) before the service. The service will be held at 11:30 am at First United Methodist Church, 244 South Broadway Ave. Salem, Ohio 44460 with Rev. Byron Bufkin officiating. A family graveside service will be held at 2:00 pm at the Greenwood Cemetery, 4350 Cemetery Road, Fowlerville, Michigan 48836 on the following day. Family and friends may sign the guest register and send condolences online at www.grfuneralhome.com. Arrangements have been entrusted to Gednetz-Ruzek-Brown Funeral Home, Sebring, Ohio (330) 938-2526 .