Dr. Harvey Lee Imber, 93, passed peacefully at Meridian Village Memory Care in Glen Carbon on June 9 with his life partner, Linda Perry, at his side. Dr. Imber was born December 1, 1929, in Belleville, Illinois and graduated from Belleville Township High School in 1948. He received his Bachelor of Arts degree from Washington University in 1952 and Doctor of Dental Surgery degree from the University of Illinois Dental School class of 1955.

He was a captain in the U. S. Army Dental Corp stationed at Fort Leonard Wood from 1955-1957. He then practiced dentistry in Belleville and O’Fallon and was a co-founder of the Spring Valley Dental Group in 1975 in O’Fallon, Illinois. He retired from dentistry in 2001.

Dr. Imber enjoyed music and flying. He played the oboe and was principal oboist with the St. Louis Philharmonic Orchestra for 25 years. He also played in the Belleville Philharmonic intermittently from high school years until after his retirement. He was an avid pilot and flight instructor and particularly enjoyed turning upside down in his Decathlon aerobatic airplane.

Harvey is survived by the love of his life, longtime partner Linda Perry, son Jeffrey Imber (Troy, IL), daughter Amy Williams (Queen Creek, AZ), two granddaughters, Emily Imber and Dannielle Williams, great-grandson, Jemion Antoine, and sister-in-law Barbara Imber.

He was a member of Agudas Achim Beth Israel synagogue in Belleville.

Memorial contributions can be made to St. John’s Adult Day Care, 222 Goethe Avenue, Collinsville, IL 62234, or Vitas Healthcare, 16 Executive Drive, Suite 100, Fairview Heights, IL 62208.