John Lewis Bieber

John Lewis Bieber, age 88, passed away on August 18, 2024 at Mercy Hospital in Fort Smith, Arkansas. Born August 15, 1936, in Lafayette, Indiana -- and a Hoosier through and through -- he was the beloved son of Fred Martin Bieber and Lena Mildred (Boyce) Bieber. John met the love of his life, Martha Eugenia (Steele) Bieber in Costa Rica in July of 1967, proposing to her a mere ten days later -- when you know, you know -- and marrying her on December 31, 1967. John often said marrying Martha was the best decision he ever made. They enjoyed 56 years of marriage together. After his undergraduate work at Purdue, his service in the Air Force, and his Master's degree at Kansas State, John obtained his PhD from the University of Florida and taught Agricultural Economics as a professor for many years. Overseas, he was involved in various agricultural projects in Paraguay, El Salvador, Costa Rica and Bolivia. In his free time, he loved to entertain guests in his home, playing his repertoire of hilarious novelty songs on his ukuleles, including "I'm My Own Grandpa,"  "Screwball's Love Song," and "Elmer and the Bear." John was known for having a great sense of humor. He loved all of the family cats -- Pepper, Mudge, Kitty and Mochi; and he liked to joke that Mochi -- who sported a white stripe down half his back -- had a skunk for a grandpa. Following in his father's footsteps, he could recite Rudyard Kipling's "The Ballad of East and West" from memory, as well as Robert W. Service's "The Cremation of Sam McGee" and John Laurenz's "The Mountaineer and the Jabberwock," which always made his daughters laugh. He also enjoyed tending to his garden and spending time with his family, especially his two grandchildren, who inherited their affinity to music from him. John was well-loved, a good and honest man, a bulwark of integrity for his family, a man of quiet faith.

He is survived by his cherished wife, Martha E. Bieber; two daughters of whom he was unquestionably proud, Elaine Marie Bieber and Mary Anna Sobhani and husband Behi; two beloved grandchildren, Dalton Ace and Martha Julianna; sister-in-law, Shea Bieber; nieces, Cara and Lana, and nephew Zane; two great-nieces Oona and Ella, and great-nephew Luca; and a host of friends who will miss him. 

John is preceded in death by his parents, Fred and Lena Bieber; his mother-in-law, Flavia Steele, who adored him; his identical twin-brother, Gene Bieber -- they were playing twin jokes on people well into their 80s; maternal grandparents, Eva Jane Westmoreland Lamb and Andrew Lewis Boyce; and paternal grandparents, Caroline "Carrie" Schmidt and John Martin Bieber.

A private burial will be held at Roselawn Cemetery. Services are under the thoughtful direction of Lewis Funeral Chapel.

To send flowers to the family or plant a tree in memory of John Lewis Bieber, please visit our floral store.