Don Gruber

Don Gruber, 81, of Jacksonville, passed away on Friday, November 9, 2024, surrounded by his loving family. 

A funeral service is scheduled for 10 a.m. Friday, November 15, 2024, at First Methodist Church in Jacksonville. Rev. Patrick Evans will officiate.  He will be laid to rest at Still Waters Memorial Gardens. 

Visitation will begin Thursday, November 14, 2024 and family will receive friends from 6 p.m. to 8 p.m. at Autry Funeral Home in Jacksonville.

Don was born January 15, 1943 in Galion, Ohio to the late Warren and Ruth (Hinaman) Gruber. He was a graduate of Iberia High School in Iberia, Ohio. Mr. Gruber was not a native Texan but he always said he got here as fast as he could. Don was proud of being an usher at First Methodist Church and he was an active grandpa. He was a master woodworker, a self-employed salesman who sold plastic injection molding machines and owned 1st Choice Plastic Machinery.   We will always remember Don, and how he was a bad joke extraordinaire.

 Left to cherish Don’s memory are his wife of 56 years, Jackie Gruber of Jacksonville; children Jennifer Swedoski and husband Mike of Jacksonville, Kirsten Mathis and husband Paul of Denison, Donald Eugene Gruber II and wife Tereasa of Wisconsin, and bonus son, Darron Baxter of Jacksonville; and his brothers, John Gruber and wife Sandy and Bill Gruber, all of Ohio. He is also survived by his grandchildren Tiffany Barber and husband John, Marjorie Fetty and Devin Mauch, Barrett Gruber, Cade Gruber, Alina Swedoski, Kalan Gruber, and Parker Gruber; great-grandchildren Ivan Barber, Eugenia Barber and Fay Mauch plus numerous nieces and nephews.