Obituary: Shaber, Bert, Colonel, Usaf
Bert was born in Wetumka, Oklahoma in 1919 and led an adventurous life that took him from his roots as the son of a small town grocer to a traveler of the world through his 30 year Air Force career .
In World War II, Bert flew 67 combat missions in New Guinea as a B-25 bomber pilot.
He contracted malaria and was sent to Spokane for recovery.
Here he met and married Gloria Johnson of Corbin Park in 1945.
Bert and Gloria had four children.
They lived all over the United States, Hawaii, Paris, France, and Wiesbaden, Germany.
Bert’s final posting was as head of the ROTC at Michigan State University where he also earned an MBA.
When they returned to Spokane in the early 90s, Bert managed 49 North ski resort, they lived in Chewelah, and Bert was active in local politics, served on the Board of the PUD of Stevens County, and was Chairman of the Board of Trustees of Eastern Washington University.
Bert and Gloria continued their active lifestyle, traveling and visiting their children and grandchildren around the country.
Gloria died in 1998.
Bert was an avid outdoorsman.
He liked nothing better than to go fishing with his son, Randy, and continued skiing until he was 90 years old.
Bert is survived by his four children, eight grandchildren and four great-grandchildren.
The family is planning a private memorial this summer.