Robert Kenneth Rabe, 80, died Tuesday, May 12, 2009.
He was born Dec. 21, 1928, in Watseka, Ill., son of William and Hulda Windhorn Rabe. He and NerVella Ruth Buechler were married Oct. 21, 1954, in McLaughlin, S.D. He married Barbara Ann Schleef Meyer in January 1980 in Crescent City, Ill. She died May 20, 1982. He then married Leola M. Lucht Rader on Sept. 2, 2001, in Crescent City, Ill.
He was baptized Jan. 13, 1929, at St. Paul’s Lutheran Church, Woodworth, Ill., and was confirmed April 26, 1942, at Calvary Lutheran Church, Watseka, Ill. He graduated from Crescent City High School in 1947 and was a member of the baseball and basketball teams. He later served in the Army during the Korean War from 1950-’52.
He harvested wheat with his uncle in Nebraska and the Dakotas. He lived with his first wife, NerVella, in Crescent City, Ill. He drove a school bus for Woodworth Lutheran School and worked at Schweigert’s Grocery. He also farmed in Gilman, Ill., for several years and worked at UARCO in Watseka, Ill.
He moved in 1962 to Wisconsin, where he and his wife owned and operated Valley View Dairy Farm with approximately 160 acres and 25-30 dairy cows and feeder pigs. They were members of Trinity Lutheran Church.
In December 1973, he purchased the Piney View Ranch in Cabool, a 240-acre farm with mostly timber. He raised beef cattle and hogs. He also worked at a sawmill in Raymondville and Fordick in Mountain Grove. He began work in 1977 at Mid-America Dairymen, where he made a variety of nutritional dairy products.
He and his wife were members of Holy Cross Lutheran Church in Houston, where he held several offices, including president and elder until his later years.
He and his second wife, Barbara, moved from Crescent City, Ill., to Cabool in 1980. She died two years later. He retired from Mid-Am in 1992 and focused on farming.
He married his third wife, Leola, in September 2001. They enjoyed gardening, taking care of the farm and spending time outside.
He enjoyed singing at church or home with his family. He spent most of his time on the farm, tending cattle, fixing fences, cutting trees, mowing, working in the tool shed or riding the tractor.
He was preceded in death by his parents; and a brother, Kenneth Rabe.
Survivors include his wife, Leola; seven daughters, Tamara Rabe, Kandra Maupin, Debra Dotson, Denise Quessenberry, Cynthia Flanagan, Brenda Hass and Michelle Fussner; 10 grandchildren; eight great-grandchildren; 12 stepchildren; 29 step-grandchildren; 27 step great-grandchildren; three sisters, Barbara Bohlmann, Sharen Graham and Sandra Rabe; and three brothers, Roger Rabe, Dennis Rabe and Stuart Rabe.
Services were Friday, May 15, at Holy Cross Lutheran Church in Houston with David Kettner officiating. Burial with full military honors was in the Cabool Cemetery under the direction of Elliott-Gentry-Carder Funeral Home.
