Harold F. Gaskill

Harold F. Gaskill, age 90, of North Webster, passed away Sunday, October 16, 2005, at Goshen General Hospital. He was born October 16, 1915, in North Webster, to Budd & Maud (Kruger) Gaskill.

On October 2, 1938, he married Hazel Marie Romerill. She preceded him in death in 1985.

As a young boy, he worked on the North Webster telephone exchange switchboard for what he considered an "easy" 10 cents an hour. He served as first mate on the Dixie Boat during the 1930s when the boat was owned by Captain Joseph Breeck of Lamb, Indiana. It was during one of his frequent trips to Southern Indiana to visit Capt. Breeck that he met his future bride, Hazel Romerill. From 1937 until he was inducted into the WWII effort, he was employed at the Ford Motor Company in Dearborn, Michigan, and the Ford Airplane Division of Willow Run as an electrical engineer on the B24-M Liberators. During his employment there, he designed and fabricated the first split-point drill tip ever used in the industry - a contribution of which he was quite proud. He also retired as a maintenance engineer for Syracuse Rubber after 25 years.

Harold was also a lifetime member of the North Webster United Methodist Church, 1934 graduate of North Webster High School, WWII Army Veteran, Volunteer Fireman for 25 years for the North Webster Fire Department, Member and past Master of the Masonic Lodge 747 in North Webster and a Member of the Masonic Lodge 705 in Cromwell, Indiana, Scottish Rite - Valley of Ft. Wayne.

The house in which he has resided for more than half his life is evidence of the numerous craftsman skills he acquired over the years, having built every part of the home for his family from the ground up. He had a lifelong passion for fishing and could spend hours relating "fishing stories" he had gathered from throughout his life. His friends and neighbors through the years have admired him for his multiple skills and talents. He loved building and repairing things, especially tinkering with motors and anything mechanical. He was seldom without a humorous anecdote he wanted to pass on to provide a laugh and a smile, and he enjoyed being able to relate fascinating historical details about the community in which he spent his 90 years.

When his great-grandson recently interviewed him, he was asked for some words of wisdom for generations to follow. Simply put, Great-Grandfather Harold responded "Try to keep happy and make others happy." And this, indeed, is what he did so well.

Survivors include 2 daughters: Mrs. John (Becky) Jones of Germantown, Wisconsin, and Mary Beth Gaskill of Chicago, Illinois, 3 grandchildren: Scott Jones, Kellie Hatcher and Troy Jones, 3 Great Grandchildren: Sam, Becca and Luke Mulkey, 3 brother-in-laws: Harold Romerill of Lamb, Indiana, Charles Romerill of Indianapolis, Indiana, Clair Romerill of Ladoga, Indiana, 1 sister-in-law: Minnie (Romerill) Beguin of Plattsburgh, New York and many nieces and nephews also survive. He was preceded by his parents, his wife: Hazel, 1 sister: Helen Crouch, 1 brother: Robert Gaskill, 2 sister-in-laws: Mildred Romerill Walker and Charlene Romerill Seal.

Services will be held 1:00PM Saturday, October 22, 2005, at Mishler-Eastlund Funeral Home, Harris Chapel, in Syracuse. Pastor Scott Mann will officiate. Burial will follow at North Webster Mock addition. Friends may call 2-4PM and 6-8PM on Friday, October 21, 2005, and 1 hour prior to services on Saturday. There will be a Masonic service at 7:00PM at the funeral home on Friday during the evening visitation time.

Memorials may be given to the North Webster Community Center - in Memory of Harold Gaskill; North Webster United Methodist Church - in memory of Harold Gaskill.