Harold Fairchild

Harold O. Fairchild, Sr., 74, widely acquainted area contractor and a resident of rural Columbia City, passed away on Thursday, January 13, 2011 at 6:07 p. m., at Parkview Hospital in Fort Wayne.e He had been a patient there since Monday after suffering an apparent heart attack at his home. Mr. Fairchild was born on November 15, 1936 in Huntington County, a son of Herbert R. and Myrtle L. (DeWitt) Fairchild.e As a child he moved with his parents to rural Allen County.e He spent his formative years there, and graduated from Jefferson Center High School in 1955. On November 13, 1956 he was married in Roanoke to Adena Hyser.e The couple lived in the Roanoke-area for a period before moving to their present farm home in Smith Township in 1966. He had previously worked at Zolner Piston in Fort Wayne, and for two years worked along with his brother at Fairchild Custom Butchering.e From 1974 to 1980 he was the co-owner and operator of Fairchild & Hyser Contractors, and was the owner and operator of H. O. Fairchild & Sons, Inc. for 19 years, retiring in 1999. e In addition to his work as a contractor, he raised cattle, and was engaged in farming in Smith Township. He was a member of St. John Bosco Catholic Church in Churubusco and the American Pinzgauer Association. The surviving relatives include his wife Adena, to whom he was married for over 54 years; his children Harold "Jack" (Jeannine) Fairchild, Jr. of Churubusco, Pam (Kevin) Pequignot of Columbia City, Brian (Christine) Fairchild of Albion, Brenda (Tom) Brumbaugh of Columbia City, and Adam (Maria) Fairchild of Churubusco; a sister Wanita Gerig of Woodburn; five brothers Wayne Fairchild of Columbia City, Ronald (Pat) Fairchild of Bippus, John Shaw of Churubusco, William Shaw of Reidsville, NC, and Donald (Joan) Shaw of Mt. Airy, NC; 17 grandchildren and four great-grandchildren. In addition to his parents, he was preceded in death by his step-mother Mae Fairchild; a sister Carolyn Gilgen; and by four brothers Robert Fairchild, Floyd Fairchild, William Fairchild, and Ray Shaw. The Mass of Christian Burial will be celebrated at 11 a. m. on Wednesday, January 19, 2011, at St. John Bosco Catholic Church in Churubusco. The family will receive friends at the Sheets & Childs Funeral Home in Churubusco on Tuesday from 1 to 4 and from 6 to 8 p. m.e The Rosary will be recited at 8 p. m. Tuesday at the funeral home. For those who wish, memorials may be directed to the Whitley County Community Foundation, 400 N. Whitley Street, Columbia City, INe 46725. ********************************************* To leave a condolence for the family in Mr. Fairchild's memory, please click on "Condolences" below. . .