Tabor, Wayne – 1918-2016

ADAMS, CRAIG, CURRY, FISHER, GIBBS, KREMILLER, RAABERG, STRAVERS, TABOR

Posted By: Diana Wagner
Date: 4/4/2017 at 15:34:08

Wayne Tabor, 97, died Saturday, June 11, 2016. He was born Dec. 23, 1918 at Greencastle, Iowa. His parents were Samuel Berry and Pearl (Curry) Tabor. Wayne was the last surviving member of his immediate family. Preceding him in death were sisters, Hazel Gibbs of Boone, Louise Craig of San Diego, Calif., Marjorie Raaberg of San Diego, Calif., and Dorothy Stravers of Prairie City. He is survived by his son, Mike Tabor of Ft. Lauderdale, Fla.; step-daughters, Laurie Adams of West Lafayette, Ind., Leigh Anne Adams of Circle Pines, Minn.; and grandchildren, Jimmy Adams, Kevin Adams, Claire Adams, Aaron Adams and Liam Adams. He is also survived by his nephew, Dan Stravers of Prairie City; as well as other nieces and nephews.
Wayne graduated from Prairie City High School in 1937. While there he was active in football, basketball, baseball and softball. Additionally, as a boxer, he was in the finals of the Golden Gloves. After enlisting in the Army Air Corp in 1941, he joined the Air Force boxing team. His Air Force flight training enabled him to be assigned as a Waist Gunner on a B-24 4 Engine Bomber. As a staff sergeant, he was stationed in England and completed 30 missions over Nazi occupied Europe. He flew his first mission over Berlin and his 25th mission on D-Day. Wayne was awarded the Battle Star, Air Medal and Distinguished Flying Cross. He was entitled to wear the European-African-Middle Eastern Theatre Campaign Ribbon, Overseas Service Bar and Good Conduct ribbon, and was honorably discharged in December 1944.
Wayne enrolled at Iowa State University and was awarded a BS degree in animal science in 1950. His primary profession was selling educational materials to Kentucky schools until his retirement in 1985. In addition to his work, Wayne helped create and lead several civic organizations, in roles such as president of the Iowa State Alumni Association, founder and president of the Kentucky Chapter of the 8th Air Force Historical Society, president of the Central Kentucky Quarter Horse Association and president and founder of the Kentucky Educational Media Association. Wayne loved to hunt and fish. He remained an avid reader, a master gardener, an expert horseman, a skillful public speaker and a riveting storyteller throughout his life.
Wayne was married to Arlene Fisher and they had a son, Mike Tabor. Arlene is now deceased. He married Carlene Kremiller March 1, 1975, creating a new family with her two daughters, Laurie and Leigh Anne. Carlene passed away in October 1999. In 2015, Wayne moved from Kentucky to Iowa where he resided until his death. There he was cared for by his nephew, Danny Stravers; his wife Marilyn; their children; their children’s spouses; and grandchildren.
His final request was that, in lieu of flowers, donations be made to Heifer International, 1 World Ave., Little Rock, AR 72202 (www.heifer.org).
A memorial service for Wayne was June 22 at Southeast Christian Church, concluding with a military ceremony/honor guard and followed by visitation. A second memorial service will be at 10:30 a.m. July 7 at the Christian Church in Prairie City and his ashes will be interred at Waveland Cemetery.
Source: Prairie City News; Thursday, June 30, 2016, page 2A