Wren Aber

After 70 years of dedicating his life to church, family, and community, Wren Landon Aber of Windermere, Fla., and formerly of Highland County, passed away in his sleep on Nov. 18, 2012.

He was born in Hillsboro, Ohio, March 15, 1942 to Ulric Edwin Aber and Lucile Fawley Aber.

After graduating Lynchburg High School, he attended Ohio University, earning a bachelor's and master's degree in journalism. Early in his career, he was an AP wire editor in Charleston, W.Va. and a director of Branch Information for Ohio University. He was a Sergeant in the U.S. Army 6th Armored Cavalry Regiment, Fort Meade, Md. during the Vietnam years.

He started a 30-year career with General Electric Co. in Fort Wayne, Ind.; was a communications programs manager for GE's in-house advertising agency, serving in Oak Brook, Ill. and Stamford, Conn.; went on to be a manager of communications programs for GE's worldwide Apparatus Service Division in Schenectady, N.Y.; and moved with his family to Florida in 1983 as manager of GE's Horizons Pavilion at Epcot until 1993.

After retirement from GE, he started The Wren Aber Management Team, a consulting firm for companies working with theme parks.

Being a man of tremendous faith, Wren was ever involved in his church, Trinity Lutheran Downtown, as a choir member, past-president and chairman of the Century II Building Task Force. Previously, he was a charter member, president and choir member at Christ The King Lutheran Church near Windermere.

He was a long-time member and president of the board of the Florida Safety Council in Orlando; a board member of the International Association of Jazz Educators; founded a 25-year-old golf social club; played many instruments, including piano on national television with the Ted Mack Original Amateur Hour; and was a member of Theta Chi Fraternity.

Wren was a passionate leader, community servant, a dreamer and a doer, and smiled most when he was surrounded by those he loved: his wife of 42 years, Kathy Hawley Aber; his three children: Meredith Leigh and son-in-law D.K. Robertson of Land O' Lakes; Christopher Wren and daughter-in-law Jillian Aber of Windermere; and Matthew Landon Aber of Windermere; three grandchildren, Caroline Grace and James Landon Robertson and Eli Berkeley Aber.

Funeral services were held at Trinity Lutheran Church, 123 E. Livingston St., Orlando, Fla. 32801 (407-422-5704) on Nov. 21.

Memorial gifts may be made to the Trinity Lutheran CDC Building Fund.