Obituaries - November 24, 2007
George J. Gaber, 91
FEB. 24, 1916 — NOV. 21, 2007
George J. Gaber died Wednesday, Nov. 21, 2007, at the Meadowood Health Pavilion. He was 91.
Mr. Gaber was a beloved friend of the Bloomington community, having moved here in 1960 with his wife, Esther Feinberg Gaber, and two children, Robert and Deborah, to create and develop the timpani and percussion program of the renowned IU School of Music.
Mr. Gaber, a distinguished professor emeritus, had a remarkable career as a percussionist, having played under the baton of conductors such as Stokowski, Reiner, Dorati and Mehta, and played a wide range of musical styles, from classical to jazz to Latin to Dixieland.
He was a “father,” mentor and friend to the hundreds of students that came to study with him and he remained in close contact until very recently.
Mr. Gaber’s stories about his life were enjoyed by many people all over the world because of his great sense of humor and passion for the arts and life itself.
He will be deeply missed by many people, and his passing is a great loss to our community.
The family requests that in lieu of flowers, donations be made to Congregation Beth Shalom in Bloomington.
Services will be held at Congregation Beth Shalom on Sunday, Nov. 25, 2007, at 1:30 p.m.
Graveside services to follow at Valhalla Memory Gardens.
The Indiana University Jacobs School of Music would like
to thank the Herald Times for permission to republish this review.
