NORTH MANCHESTER – Dr. William Robert Eberly, 84, North Manchester, died July 28, 2011, in his summer residence on Big Chapman Lake, Warsaw.
He was born Oct. 4, 1926, in North Manchester, to John H. and Ollie Heaston Eberly. On June 30, 1946, he married Eloise Whitehead, who survives.
Also surviving are three daughters: Diana (and spouse Barry) Bucher, North Manchester; Brenda (and spouse Tom) Horein, Elkhart; and Sandra (and spouse John) Wenger, Harrisonburg, Va.; 10 grandchildren; seven great-grandchildren; two brothers, Wayne (and spouse Wilda) Eberly, Palmyra, Pa., and J. David (and spouse Ann) Eberly, Hagerstown, Md.
He graduated from Huntington High School in 1944, received a bachelor’s degree from Manchester College in 1948 and earned his master’s degree and Ph.D. from Indiana University. He taught music and science in the public school for five years. In 1955, he joined the faculty of Manchester College as a professor in the biology department. In 1963, he was invited as a visiting scientist to the Institute of Limnology at the University of Uppsala in Sweden. He served as past president of Indiana Academy of Sciences. He started the Environmental Studies program at Manchester College in 1972 and served as its director until his retirement 1992, developing a program for outdoor education at the Koinonia Nature Preserve for public school and college students. He served on the Indiana Pesticide Review Board representing limnologists of the State of Indiana and received the Sagamore of the Wabash Award from Gov. Robert Orr in 1983 for his strong advocacy for environment concerns. He was a member of the Manchester Church of the Brethren.
As an ordained minister in the Church of the Brethren, he had served many congregations, including Pleasant View Church of the Brethren, South Whitley, Roann Church of the Brethren and Buffalo (Ind.) Church of the Brethren. He also served on the Church of the Brethren General Board for two terms and was Annual Conference Secretary for 10 years. In 1980 he served as moderator of the denomination. He was a former instructor in church history for Bethany Seminary. He authored and edited many books, most recently, “The Story of the Natural Sciences at Manchester College”. He was a member of the Brethren Encyclopedia Board of Directors from 1985-2008. He was a member and immediate past president of the North Manchester Historical Society where he played a significant role in developing and expanding the Center for History on Main Street, North Manchester.
A memorial service will be at 3 p.m. Aug. 14 at Manchester Church of the Brethren, North Manchester, Ind. Private burial will be in Oaklawn Cemetery, North Manchester.
Calling will follow the memorial service Aug. 14.
McKee Mortuary, North Manchester, is in charge of arrangements.
***** Memorials may be made to the Dr. William R. Eberly Scholarship Fund at Manchester College, 604 E. College Ave., North Manchester, IN 46962; The Center for History, 120 E. Main St., North Manchester, IN 46962; Heifer Project International, P.O. Box 8058, Little Rock, AR 7220; or Timbercrest Senior Living Community Charitable Assistance Fund, P.O. Box 501, North Manchester, IN 46962.
