Willis Gene Rarick

Willis Gene Rarick, 82, died Wednesday, Dec. 16, 2020, at home.

He was born Nov. 12, 1938, in Warsaw, to Dane and Hazel Rarick, who owned and managed Rarick’s Hilltop Orchard in Milford.  At a very early age he determined it was much more interesting to figure out HOW things worked, than it was to work in his parents’ fruit orchard.  After marrying a young woman from his Sunday school class at New Salem Church of the Brethren on Dec. 23, 1960, Barbara Montel Harley, he pursued his education and earned his Associate’s degree in engineering from Acme Institute of Technology, South Bend.

His career began in 1966. He worked in Syracuse at the Dana Corporation, Albion at Lyle Electric and finally at Zimmer in Warsaw, as a tool manufacturing engineer traveling to Germany to procure equipment for the orthopedic company.

All this time he was also farming – raising grain, beef cattle, hogs and yes, fruit trees on his grandfather’s acreage along Turkey Creek in Elkhart County.  He and Barb became snowbirds after retirement, wintering in Venice, Fla. at their condo in Curry Cove where they so enjoyed interacting with their neighbors and friends from the New Paris area and working on their hobbies. With Gene’s engineering background, he helped Barb figure out the geometry needed to piece her quilts and also his many scrollwork clock projects which won him accolades at the Elkhart County 4-H Fair as well as from his many family members to whom he gifted many jeweled Christmas ornaments among his other woodworking projects.

Gene is survived by his wife, Barbara; four children, Jonel (William) Fawley, Warsaw, Risa Halpin, Central Point, Ore., Philip (Loretta) Rarick, Bowling Green, Ky. and Lynette (Bill) Heath, Milford; sister, Janet Lightner, Troy, Ohio and brother, Max Rarick, Bremen.  He also had ten grandchildren and 16 great grandchildren, who will remember him as the Grandpa who made sparkly Christmas tree ornaments, cut trees with his chainsaw and could fix almost anything he put his mind to fix.

Visitation will be Sunday, Dec. 20 from 1:30 to 4 p.m. and Monday, from 9 a.m. until 10 a.m. at Wawasee Community Bible Church.

A Celebration of Life and Homegoing service will begin at 10 a.m. Monday, Dec. 21, at Wawasee Community Bible Church.  Pastor Josh Wieland will officiate.

Burial will follow in New Salem Cemetery, Milford.

Memorials may be given to Gideons International.