Ralph J. Rohrabaugh

Ralph J. Rohrabaugh, 81, of Camden, died at 2:40 a.m. Sunday, Dec. 17, 2006, at St. Elizabeth Medical Center in Lafayette.

Born Oct. 22, 1925, in Scott County, he was the son of Ralph E. and Fannie Manaugh Rohrabaugh. He married Ruth Zimmerman on Aug. 5, 1951, in North Liberty, and she survives.

He was a 1943 graduate of Deer Creek High School and a 1948 graduate of Indiana Business College.

He served in the Army from December 1943 until May 1946 and was with the 11th Airborne Division. He was a staff sergeant serving in the Asia Theater, the Philippine Islands, Luzon and Occupied Japan.

Mr. Rohrabaugh worked with James I. Barnes Construction Co., and later Steinberger Construction Co., both of Logansport, building large schools, factories, and other large facilities. He spent 40 years in the construction trade as superintendent of construction and an estimator, retiring in 1988.

He was the current president of the Camden Town Council. He was elected to the council eight times, and was appointed twice, serving a total of more than 33 years. He was president of the council for 24 years.

During his time on the council, the following major town improvements were made: Second well installed, sewer system installed, new curbs on Main Street, new water tower and water treatment facility, new maintenance building.

Mr. Rohrabaugh had been serving on the Carroll County Economic Development Corp. board since 1990, the Carroll County E-911 Advisory Committee since its inception in the mid 1990s, and he was president of Carroll County Emergency Management Advisory Committee. He served on the Area Plan Commission from 1994 through 2004, and through the years had served on various committees, as appointed by the Carroll County Commissioners.

A 57-year member of American Legion Post 413 at Camden, he was post commander for 10 years and was serving as post adjutant, an office he had held for 39 years. He also was a 29-year member of Elks Lodge 66 of Logansport.

Mr. Rohrabaugh was a life member of the Indiana Association of Cities and Towns, vice president of Camden Senior Citizens Board of Directors, a member of Camden-Jackson Township Library Board, I ACT Conference, and Indiana Notary Association, and participated in Carroll County at the Crossroads, sponsored by the Carroll County Community Foundation. He was Principal for a Day annually at Camden Elementary School.

He was awarded the Sagamore of the Wabash on April 11, 2000. He also received the Carroll County Heritage Award, Carroll County Historical Preservation Award, and First Family of Carroll County Historical Award.

Surviving with his wife are two daughters, Cynthia Ann Greene (husband: Mike) of Indianapolis and Carol Elaine Bingham (husband: Joe) of Mount Juliet, Tenn.; two granddaughters, Melanie Hill (husband: Matt) of Brownsburg and Emily Cox of Mount Juliet; two grandsons, Staff Sgt. Chad Greene (wife: Briana), of Beaufort, S.C., and Casey Cox of Mount Juliet; and four great-grandchildren, Nicholas Greene of Beaufort, and Madyson, Stayert, and Kaleb Hill of Brownsburg.

Services are today (Wednesday) at 10 a.m. at Cree Funeral Home, Camden, with Pastor Ed Selvidge officiating. Interment will be in Camden Cemetery with military rites by American Legion Post 413.

Memorials may be made to American Legion Post 413, Camden-Jackson Township Public Library, or Camden Fire Department.