Kenneth Jacob Kabelka

They are not long, the days of wine and roses: Out of a misty dream Our path emerges for awhile, then closes Within a dream. -Ernest Dowson Kenneth Jacob Kabelka, age 86, died December 15, 2014, at Columbus, Ohio. He is survived by his loving wife of 58 years, Melba Holder Kabelka, daughter, Karen (Scott) Hartle, son Karl Franz, (Marita) Kabelka, of Columbus, grandchildren, Anne Marie and Laura Hartle, and Karl Franz and Johannes Kabelka, sisters, Dorothy Keller of Oak Ridge, Tennessee and Margaret Guilkey of Clayton, California. He was preceded in death by his father, Karl Franz, his mother, Marie, and his brother, Karl Franz. He worked for the Huntington National Bank for 41 years and retired in 1987 as Executive Vice President. Under his supervision he directed Huntington's expansion into branch banking, and helped make Huntington the first major bank to adopt automation and computer technology. He also assisted with a number of affiliated bank acquisitions, and served as the bank's Senior Lender. He was a member of Clinton Heights Lutheran Church. He was a long-time member of Community Lodge, Free and Accepted Masons, and received the 33rd honorary degree as a member of the Ancient Accepted Scottish Rite. He was a past Commander and Chief of Scioto Consistory, and a member of the Red Cross of Constantine. He served as Treasurer of the Aladdin Temple and the Aladdin Crippled Children's Hospital Assn. He graduated from the College of Business Administration at The Ohio State University in 1951, and the Graduate School of Banking at the University of Wisconsin in 1961. He was a Life member of The Ohio State University Alumni Association, the Buckeye Boosters, the Buckeye Club and the President's Club. He served as President pro-tem of the Columbus Technical Institute (Columbus State Community College), and was instrumental in starting that school as its first chairman and long-time member of the Board of Trustees. He was past president and member of the board of the American Institute of Banking, the Financial Executives Institute, the Underground Parking Commission for the State of Ohio, and the Central Ohio Navy League. He served on the boards of the Ohio Housing Finance Agency, the Ohio Masonic Home, the Ohio Banker's Association, and several corporations. During the Korean War he served in the United States Armed Forces as an Officer in the United States Coast Guard. He was an ardent Buckeye Sports fan, a devoted family man, a lover of grandkids, family dogs, classical music and draft beer. Friends may call at the SOUTHWICK-GOOD & FORTKAMP FUNERAL CHAPEL, 3100 N. High St. Friday, 4:00 - 7:00 p.m. Funeral 11:30 a.m. on Saturday, December 20, 2014 at Clinton Heights Lutheran Church. Pastor Ralph Wolfe, officiating. Interment Green Lawn Cemetery. In lieu of flowers, please consider a donation to Aladdin Shriners' Hospital Association for Children at shrinershospitalsforchildren.org., or mail to Shriners Hospitals for Children-Cincinnati, 3229 Burnet Ave., Cincinnati, OH 45229-3095. www.southwickfuneral.com