FORT WAYNE — Virgil H. Stomberg, 97, died on Wednesday, Dec. 30, 2015, surrounded by his loving family, just seven weeks before his 98th birthday, at Sycamore Village in Fort Wayne. He was born on Feb.17, 1918, in Knoxville, Illinois, to Swedish immigrants, the late Axel and Selma (Ecklund) Stomberg. Virgil celebrated his Scandinavian heritage throughout his life. He married Margaret Hiers, the love of his life, on Feb. 7, 1944, in Covington, Kentucky, and she preceded him in death on Feb. 18, 2004. Surviving are daughters, Arla (Paul) Sechler, Spencerville, Kristine (Mike) Bates, Fort Wayne and Nita Thieme, Fort Wayne; grandson, Brian (Risa) Sechler, St. Joe; granddaughters, Kimberley (Rob) Dixon, Riverside, Illinois, Angie Sechler (Rob McManus), St. Paul, Minnesota, Tracey (Tim) Sheppard, Fort Wayne; great-grandsons, Alexander Sheppard, Aidan Sheppard, Luke Sheppard and Thomas Dixon; and sister, Verda Diede, Sioux City, Iowa. He was preceded in death by a grandson, Rodney Gerardot, a son-in-law, Thomas Thieme, and a sister, Arla Cochran. Before coming to Fort Wayne to attend Indiana Tech, he was said to have wired most of the homes in Knoxville for electricity. During WWII, he worked on the strategic supercharger at General Electric on Taylor Street in Fort Wayne. After 44-plus years as a developmental tester with GE, he retired in 1986. He was a decades-long active member of St. Peter Lutheran Church in Spencerville, serving on the church council and teaching Sunday school. He was a member of the DeKalb County chapter of Thrivent Financial for Lutherans and also served on his township board for many years. Among his many passions were gardening, studying history, reading and making wine from the harvest of his fruit trees and grape arbor. The sharing of his plentiful crop of apples from his orchard earned him the title "The Apple Man" by neighborhood children. His love of animals and all of nature has been inspirational to many. As a "Jack of all trades," he was a master of most. Services will be held on Saturday, Jan.9, 2016, at 2 p.m., with calling two hours prior at St. Peter Lutheran Church in Spencerville, Indiana. Pastor Liz Nickel will officiate. Burial will be at Riverside Cemetery, St. Joe. Memorials may be sent to St. Peter Lutheran Church, P.O. Box 97, Spencerville, IN, 46788. Arrangements are by Carnahan-Baidinger & Walter Funeral Home, Spencerville, Indiana. To view an online obituary and sign the guestbook, please visit www.cbwfuneralhome.com.