Obituary of Henry A. Eberle

Henry A. Eberle who lived in Warren, New Jersey for most of his life, died early Tuesday, November 28, 2006 in Summit, N.J. Mr. Eberle worked as a master tiler under the Henry A. Eberle and Sons Tile and Marble Co. for over 50 years. Mr. Eberle was born on March 7, 1925 in Elizabeth, N.J. and lived with his parents in Harrison, Elizabeth, Union, Newark, and Springfield, N.J. From age 18 months to 11 years, during the Great Depression, Henry was sent to Germany to live with his relatives. With the rise of Nazism, Henry was returned to America to be with his parents as Americans. At age 18, March 1943, Henry entered the U.S. Army. He was asked to be a spy for the U.S. but wanted to fight with the U.S. uniform clearly displayed. He received basic training at Camp McCall, North Carolina, and then was stationed at Fort Bragg, North Carolina, to receive training in gliders. He was then trained at Fort Benning, Georgia Jump School and was certified as a paratrooper after his fifth jump. He served in the Quartermaster corps of the 11th Airborne Division, the 82nd Airborne, and the 13th Airborne, which also supported the 17th Airborne. Mr. Eberle fought with distinction in Europe, once planning to jump on Hilter at his mountain fortress in Berchtesgaden but was canceled at the last moment. After the war in Europe Mr. Eberle was on a Liberty ship back to the U.S. soon to be reprocessed for fighting in Japan when Japan surrendered. Mr. Eberle was awarded Ribbons for the European Theater, American Service, Good Conduct, and two Battle Stars for the Battle of the Bulge and the Rhineland campaigns. After the war, Henry lived in Gillette, N.J. with his parents who had a farm and raised quality breed Dobermans. He met and married Miss Doreen Marie Donnelly of Elizabeth, N.J. on February 1949. After a honeymoon in Florida, they lived in Short Hills, Chatham, Gillette, and then Warren. From the late 1940s until the turn of this century, Mr. Eberle and his sons worked as a tiler earning a reputation of quality tile and marble work and were regularly sought for by builders and renovators of luxury houses throughout north and central New Jersey. Mr. Eberle was a member of the Chamber of Commerce of Longhill Township and was a charter member and former President of the Lions Club of Longhill Township. Henry and Doreen celebrated their 50th anniversary in February 1999 and went to Florida, their first time since their honeymoon, and on a cruise to the Caribbean. Henry was well respected, had a great sense of humor, and will be missed by many. He would regularly declare its a great life. Henry is survived by his wife, Doreen Marie Eberle, his children Kurt K. Eberle, Colleen K. and Philip J. Scarpa, and Henry A. III and Wendy W. Eberle, and his grandchildren, Philip J. Scarpa, III, Henry P.K. Scarpa, Tyler W. Eberle and Lydia R. Eberle. Viewings will be held on Friday, December 1, 2006 from 2:00 4:00 p.m. and again at 7:00 9:00 p.m. at the Higgins Home for Funerals, 752 Mountain Boulevard, Watchung, New Jersey. A Mass will be held at 10:00 a.m. at Our Lady of the Mount, Warren, N.J. on the next day, Saturday, December 2. Burial will immediately follow the mass at Somerset Hills Memorial Park, Basking Ridge, New Jersey.