Grandpa was awarded "Safe Driver of the Year" twice by the National Transit Company. His awards were Zippo lighters with "Safe Driver of the Year", his name and the company name. The lighters were inherited by his sons, Charles, my dad, now in my possession, and by my uncle Nick. Such a little thing, a Zippo lighter, but what a big thing it represents. A company who promoted safety and rewarded their employees back in a time when that was relatively unheard of and a man who took safety seriously enough to win that award two years in a row. I am proud of the small role my grandpa played in making the transportation industry safer.
Wilbur Silas Carder was born February 20, 1909 in Painesville, Lake County, Ohio. He was the son of Nathan Isaac and Mary Alice (Alford) Carder. He died July 16, 1957 in Lima, Allen County, Ohio.