Leonard Dible

Leonard F. Dible
(1927 - 2014)

Leonard F. "Len" Dible, age 86 years, died peacefully at his home in Lafayette on May 12th. He had experienced significant health challenges for several years.
He is survived by his beloved wife of 62 years, Barbara H. "Jeanne" Dible; two sons, Chris (Lynne) and Jeff (Karen); twin daughters Gretchen and Jennifer, and two grandchildren, Nicholas and Amanda. He was preceded in death by his parents and by his sister, Myrna Porter.
Len was born in Wilkinsburg, PA on June 27, 1927 to Clinton S. Dible (d. 1976) and Olean C. Dible (d. 1986) and spent his early years in Verona, PA, a suburb of Pittsburgh. After becoming an Eagle Scout and graduating from high school, he served honorably in the U. S. Navy at the very end of World War II. He attended what was then Carnegie Tech (now Carnegie Mellon University) and the University of Pittsburgh (Pitt), where he earned a degree in mechanical engineering. He met his future wife Jeanne in the Pittsburgh area and married her in Oakmont, PA in 1952.
Len Dible began a long career with ALCOA in 1951. After serving as production manager at ALCOA's Lebanon, Pennsylvania Works and at the Davenport, Iowa Works in the late 1960s and in 1970, he was transferred in 1971 to Lafayette, where he initially served as production manager of the Lafayette Works. He was promoted to works manager at Lafayette in 1973 and served in that position until 1979, when he became Manager of Flat Rolled Products for ALCOA in Pittsburgh. In 1982, Len retired from ALCOA, and he and Jeanne moved back from Pittsburgh to the home on the east side of Lafayette in which they had lived since 1971. During the mid-1980's, Len Dible was an Associate Professor within Purdue's School of Technology and taught a course in industrial supervision; he received a Master's Degree as a result of this teaching work.
Len was always a skilled gardener and landscaper and (befitting his training and work as an engineer) an avid tinkerer and problem solver. He loved being outdoors with his loved ones and his dogs.
A memorial service will be held Friday June 6 at 10:30 AM in the First Christian Church, 329 N. 6th St. Lafayette, Rev. Greg Eberhard officiating, with military rites by American Legion Post 11. In lieu of flowers, donations may be made to First Christian Church, the Almost Home Humane Society (Lafayette, Indiana), or the Boy Scouts of America. Memories and condolences may be left at www.hahngroeberfuneralhome.com. Hahn-Groeber Funeral & Cremation Services is caring for the family.