Brubaker, Wilmer (1921-2008)

Mennonite Weekly Review obituary: 2008 Jul 7 p. 9

Birth date: 1921 Mar 28

text of obituary:

WILMER BRUBAKER

Wilmer (Will) Brubaker, 87, of Bishop, Calif., died June 1, 2008. He was born March 28, 1921, to Phares and Elizabeth Brubaker in Sterling, Ohio.

Wilmer grew up as a farm boy in Ohio, and at the age of 18 he began his welding career. He and his brother had a manufacturing company for farm equipment. He moved with his family to California in February 1956 as a friend asked him to join in prospecting for uranium. That was the start of his prospecting, which continued throughout his life. In California he continued his welding career in various companies, ending with Lockheed Aircraft, from which he retired in 1983.

Before retirement he and his wife spent weekends in Owens Valley, and after retirement they decided to make it their home. He loved the openness of the desert instead of city life. He continued prospecting for gold and silver with friends. He enjoyed hiking the mountains around Owens Valley and climbed Mount Whitney and White Mountain peaks.

Survivors include his wife, Martha (Garman) Brubaker; six children, Cynthia Dennis of Laguna Beach, Elwood Brubaker and his wife, Eileen, of Quartz Hill, Gaylord Brubaker and his wife, Shirley, of Tehachapi, Nanci Bell and her husband, Dave, of Colorado Springs, Colo., Joyce Barg and her husband, David, of Los Alamitos, and Mervin Brubaker and his wife, Kristy, of Auburn, Wyo.; a sister, Ruth Miller of Walnut Creek, Ohio; 11 grandchildren and 17 great-grandchildren.

He was preceded in death by a brother and a sister.

Memorial services were held at Bishop Nazarene Church. Burial was in East Line Street Cemetery.