Garland M. Ashbacher, 76, of Cedar Rapids, died Sunday evening, November 11, 2012 at the Woodlands, The Meth-Wick Community.

Funeral Mass: 10:00 A.M. Monday, November 19, at Saint Wenceslaus Catholic Church by Father Christopher Podhajsky. Burial: Saint John's Cemetery. Friends may call from 3 to 7 P.M. Sunday, November 18, at Papich-Kuba Funeral Home East, 1228 2nd Street S.E., where a vigil service begins at 6:00 P.M.

Garland is survived by his wife of 51 years, Barbara; children, Deborah (Jerry) Sandersfeld, Columbia, South Carolina, Dean Ashbacher, Grand Blanc, Michigan and Dawn Ashbacher, Maryland; granddaughter, Haley Sandersfeld, Columbia, South Carolina; mother, Irma (Beneke) Ashbacher, Caledonia, Minnesota; sister, Shirley (Richard) Meyer, Ridgeway; brother, Gary (Jean) Ashbacher, Eden Prairie, Minnesota and several nieces and nephews and their families.

He was preceded in death by his father, Milton W. Ashbacher.

Garland was born June 3, 1936 in Caledonia, Minnesota. He married Barbara A. Rohlena on August 5, 1961 at Saint Wenceslaus Catholic Church, Cedar Rapids.

Garland received a Bachelor of Science Degree in 1958 and a Master of Science Degree in 1969 both in Agriculture Education from Iowa State University. From 1958-1962, he was a Vocational Agriculture Instructor at Coggon High School, Coggon. Garland was a Vocational Agriculture Instructor at West Delaware High School, Manchester from 1962-1969. From 1969 until his retirement in 1995, Garland served at Kirkwood Community College, Cedar Rapids, as Program Chairperson/Instructor of the Agriculture Department; Department Head of Agricultural Technologies and later as an Academic Advisor. He was Director of Student Services at the Iowa City Campus, Kirkwood Community College from 1989-1993.

In retirement, Garland was a part-time Vocational Agriculture Instructor at Alburnett High School, a part-time Installment Loan Officer at Kirkwood Community College and a Professional Scorer for National Computer Systems.

Garland was a member and president of the following organizations: Iowa Vocational Agriculture Teachers Association; Iowa Agriculture Education Curriculum Improvement Cadre, Agriculture Education in Community Colleges; College Community Board of Education; Cedar Rapids Agriculture Executives Club; West Delaware Education Association; Coggon Education Association; and the Waukon FFA.

Garland was an active member of Saint Wenceslaus Catholic Church where he was a lector and had pitched on the church's slo-pitch softball team. He enjoyed watching sports, especially the Green Bay Packers and the Chicago Cubs and playing poker.

Memorial contributions may be given to Hospice of Mercy.

Online condolences may be left for the family at www.papich-kubafs.com under "obituaries".