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Bernard Andrew Sobotka, 90, of Lebanon, Ohio, formerly of Diagonal, died Friday, May 26, 2017, at Otterbein Lebanon Senior Lifestyle Community.
A celebration of life service will be 11 a.m. Saturday, June 10, at United Church of Diagonal in Diagonal. There will be military honors provided by Morris-Herald Post No. 395, American Legion. Memorials are to United Church of Diagonal and Morris-Herald Post No. 395, American Legion, in Diagonal. Online condolences may be left at www.armstrongfh.com.
Bernard, son of Andrew Joseph and Eva Marie (Driskell) Sobotka, was born March 8, 1927, in Diagonal. Bernard grew up in Diagonal and graduated from Diagonal High School in 1945. He enlisted in the Army Air Corp and left for Ft. Leavenworth, Kansas, the day after graduation. He served until the war ended, reaching the rank of sergeant. He then attended Iowa State University.
Bernard married Marilyn (Lynn) Copeland and returned to the Diagonal community to farm. In addition to farming, Bernard worked as director of Ringgold County U.S. Agriculture and Soil Conservation Service (ASCS) from 1961 through August 1989. Bernard and Marilyn moved from their farm east of Diagonal to Sun Valley Lake in 1986. In 2000, they moved to Creston before settling in Lebanon, Ohio, in 2010.
Bernard was a long time member of United Church of Diagonal, serving as board chairman for many years. He served on Diagonal School Board and was a member of American Legion and Diagonal Lions Club.
Bernard is survived by his spouse, Marilyn of Lebanon, Ohio; children, Kathy (Ron Beymer) of Cincinnati, Ohio, Dennis (Nancy) of Ogden, Utah, Kim of Phoenix, Arizona, Jodi (Jeff Nerad) of Cincinnati, Ohio, and Jon (Jenelle) of Cincinnati, Ohio; brothers, Joe (Bernadine) of Diagonal, Wallace (Patty) of Diagonal and Chuck (Cawren) of Conrad; sisters, Margaret McGinnis of Tabor and Sheryl Strange of Virginia Beach, Virginia; grandchildren, Kathy - Courtney (Jeff) Damon and Andee (John) Schneider, Kim - Megan (Adam) Page and Dylan (Arielle) Hendricks, and Jon - Drew and Jamie; and great-grandchildren, Jack Damon, Ellie and Sophie Schneider and Holden and Harrison Page.
Bernard was preceded in death by his parents, Andrew and Eva; brother Elbert Lee; sister Maxine Myers and brothers-in-law, Carroll Strange, Darland McGinnis and Bill Myers.