James F. Dibble

James F. Dibble, 81, of Fort Smith, passed from this life April 7, 2015 in Fort Smith. He was born August 22, 1933 in Fort Wayne, Indiana to the late Francis and Margaret Wieneke Dibble. James was a veteran of the United States Army and was retired from the Fort Wayne Fire Department. After retirement, he and his wife moved to Hot Springs, where he was a volunteer and later Chief, of the Fountain Lake Fire Department and was a boiler operator for the Arkansas State Rehabilitation Hospital. He was a member of Heritage United Methodist Church in Van Buren and a life member of the VFW.

He is survived by his wife Gerlinde, of the home; two daughters, Kathleen Lewis and her husband Scott of Columbia City, Indiana and Barbara Rohr of Fort Wayne, Indiana; his son, Andrew Dibble and his wife Janet of Van Buren; one brother, Robert Dibble and his wife Carolyn of Port Charlotte, Florida, as well as three grandchildren, James Dibble, Nicole Matthews and Amy Dibble.

Funeral services will be 12:30pm Thursday, April 9, 2015 at Heritage United Methodist Church in Van Buren with burial to follow at Fort Smith National Cemetery. The family will greet friends prior to the funeral service at Heritage United Methodist Church.

Memorials may be made to Heritage United Methodist Church, 1604 Pointer Trail East, Van Buren, Arkansas 72956 or the Sebastian County Humane Society, PO Box 10953, Fort Smith, Arkansas 72917.

Services are under the direction of Edwards Funeral Home.