Ned F. Garver, 91 years, of Bryan, Ohio, passed away Sunday evening, February 26, 2017 in the emergency room of Community Hospitals and Wellness Centers, Bryan. Ned was born to Arl and Susie (Connelly) Garver on December 25, 1925 in Ney, Ohio. He was a 1943 graduate of Ney High School. He married his high school sweetheart, Dorothy Sims on October 3, 1943. They had been married 51 years at the time of her passing on February 10, 1995. From that union came three children, all surviving, two sons, Don (Barbara) Garver and Ned Alan (Cindy) Garver, both of Bryan, Ohio and one daughter, Cheryl Garver of Defiance, Ohio. Ned was blessed with four grandchildren, Nicole Garver of Sarasota, Florida, Shane (Cris) Garver of Port Charlotte, Florida, Brianna (Keenan) Culler of Toluca Lake, California, and Chase (Meagan) Garver of Blacklick, Ohio. The newest member of the family, Penelope Rose Culler, is Ned’s first great-granddaughter.
On October 7, 2001, Ned and Dolores Hart were united in marriage in Ney, Ohio, and she also survives. Through this marriage, Ned welcomed his stepchildren into the family, Kevin Cottrell of Antwerp, Ohio, Tonya Cottrell of Las Vegas, Nevada and Tammy (Scott) Berenyi of Antwerp, Ohio. Stepson, Marty Cottrell preceded Ned in death. He was also preceded in death by his parents, two brothers, Don Garver and Mark Garver; three sisters, Arlene Faye Garver, Maribel E. Duckworth and Alice J. Sims.
Growing up on a farm at the south edge of Ney, Ned and his brothers spent a lot of time playing baseball. Being challenged by two older brothers, Ned developed into a fine young ball player. After pitching his high school team to the state finals in 1943, he went on to Fort Wayne, Indiana and played for the “City Light” team. While there, he led that team to the National Tournament in Youngstown, Ohio. He pitched three games in that tournament, and was seen by four professional scouts. Ned was offered a contract by all four scouts and their professional teams. He chose to sign with the St. Louis Browns in 1943, first playing for the farm club, the” Toledo Mud Hens”. From Toledo, he was sent to Newark, Ohio to play for the “Newark Moundsmen”, where he won 24 games and lost 8 games in 1944. This marked his first year in the world of professional baseball.
Ned moved up to the big leagues in 1948 with the St. Louis Browns. He played for the Browns (1948 – 1952), then the Detroit Tigers (1952-1956), on to the Kansas City Athletics (1957-1960), and then ending his career with the Los Angeles Angels in 1961. With the Browns in 1951, he won 20 games…being the only pitcher in modern history to do so for a team that lost over 100 games. Also in 1951, he was the starting pitcher in the All Star Game, for the American League.
Ned has been inducted into the “St. Louis Baseball Hall of Fame” and the “Ohio Baseball Hall of Fame”.
Retiring after 14 years in the Major Leagues, Ned then went to work for Dinner Bell Foods in Defiance, Ohio. During his time with Dinner Bell Foods, he was the Personnel Director for 14 years. Additionally, Ned served on the Ney Park Board, Ney Town Council and served as Mayor of Ney, Ohio for eight years.
Visitation for Ned F. Garver will be held Monday, March 6, 2017 from 2:00 – 4:00 and 6:00 – 8:00 p.m. in the Oberlin-Turnbull Funeral Home, Lynn Street Chapel, 206 North Lynn Street, Bryan. Funeral services for Ned will be held at 11:00 a.m. Tuesday, March 7, 2017 in the funeral home with Pastor Kevin King officiating. Private interment for the family will follow in Ney Cemetery, Ney, Ohio.
In lieu of flowers, the family has requested memorial contributions be made to the Ney Church of God, 03415 State Route 15, Ney, Ohio 43549.
You can send your condolences or share your memories with the family by visiting his obituary page at www.oberlinturnbull.com.