Daniel B. Reibel

Daniel B Reibel December 21, 1929 - October 8, 2012 Daniel B Reibel passed away at El Castillo Residential Community on October 8, 2012. He and his wife Patricia had retired to Santa Fe a few years ago from their home in Doylestown, Pennsylvania Daniel Reibel was born in Terre Haute Indiana to Bessie and Sidney Reibel. When he was a young child the family moved to Michigan settling in Huntington Woods near Detroit. He served as a Corporal in the United States Marine Corps during the Korean War. When he returned from the service he entered Wayne State University earning his B.A. in ancient history and languages and M.A. in American history. A deep love of history, both ancient and modern, propelled his interest and career in American studies as director, curator, and editor for museums, periodicals and historical associations from Detroit to Trenton, NJ. He began his museum career as a curator of special exhibits and industrial history at the Detroit Historical Museum. Over the years he served as Director of the Ft. Wayne Historical Society, Ft Wayne, Indiana; Director of Old Economy Village, Ambridge, PA (near Pittsburgh); Director of Landis Valley Farm Museum, Lancaster, PA; Washington Crossing Historic Park, Washington Crossing, PA on the Delaware River; and Director of the Eastern Regional Division, Pennsylvania Historical and Museum Commission, Harrisburg, PA; assuming oversight responsibility for the Commission's historic sites and properties in the eastern half of Pennsylvania. After his retirement from the Commission he moved from a position on the Board of Directors for the Old Barrack's Museum in Trenton, NJ to the role of curator. He later became a volunteer in the Collections Department of the Mercer Museum, Doylestown, PA. Additionally, he served as editor of The Chronicle, a publication of the Early American Industries Association; president of the National Historic Communal Society Association; council member of the American Association for State and Local History; and a visiting team member for the Accreditation Association of the American Association of Museums. His extensive work in early American historical collections led him to author Registration Methods for the Small Museum. He revised the book four times to keep pace with the technological advances in data and collection management. The book is a standard text in museum studies programs and a reference tool in historical societies and museums. The New Jersey Association of Museums - an organization of representative for all museums and cultural and historic sites throughout the state - honored him with the prestigious John Cotton Dana Award for his service and scholarship in the field in 1995. He is survived by his wife, Patricia; step-daughters Karen Meredith (husband Robin) of Santa Fe, NM and Heather Procaccino (husband Leonard) of Yardley PA; grandchildren Kyle Procaccino and Julia Procaccino of Yardley PA; daughters Beth Bashert (partner Lisa Bashert) of Ypsilanti, MI and Rebecca Reibel of Portage, MI; brothers David A Reibel of York, England and Karl Reibel of Bloomfield Hills, MI. Interment will be in the Santa Fe National Cemetery. At a later date there will be a service at Old Economy Village, Ambridge, Pennsylvania to dedicate a memorial in his honor.