David Adolf Huber was born May 22, 1924, in New Cumberland, Pennsylvania, and died in Yellow Springs, Ohio, on November 13, 2023, at age 99.
He was preceded in death by his father Adolf Huber, mother Elsie E. Haag Huber, and wife Betsy Parker Huber. Survivors include his sister Jean Yngve; nephews David Yngve and Alan Yngve with their wives; niece Marna Yngve Cake; and companion Karen Zukowitz.
After high school, David worked at Babcock and Wilson, manufacturers in Cleveland. During World War II, he was drafted into the Army Air Force in 1943, serving with the Fifteenth Army Division in Italy. His mechanical skills shone through when he improvised electrical systems for military tents and arranged film screenings for troops.
Following the war, David attended Antioch College through its co-op program, working as the power plant operator while earning his engineering degree in 1948. He met his future wife Betsy Parker, a Radcliff graduate, during his college years. They married June 13, 1954.
With friend John Benedict, David operated an automotive repair shop and subsequently drilled approximately 30 wells in Yellow Springs using a refurbished 1905 drilling machine. He and Betsy purchased a 100-acre farm in the early 1950s, designing and building their home after the original house burned.
David worked at the Aero-Med lab at Wright-Patterson beginning in 1954, later transferring to the structures test facility as an electrical engineer. He retired as a GS-12/10 on September 1, 1989.
His interests included founding “Cave Research” in the 1960s, serving with the Miami Township Fire Department as an EMT, and maintaining a lifelong passion for trains, trolleys, and railroad history.
Betsy died in 2008. Karen provided care and companionship during his final years. A memorial service was held December 1, 2023, at Glen Helen’s Vernet Ecological Center.