Lorraine A. Rabe

Lorraine A. Rabe, 88, of North Fond du Lac, died Tuesday, August 12, 2014.In her own words, “She was born on January 11, 1926, when doctors still made house calls. Her doctor from Fond du Lac drove out to the farm, located off Highway 23 West, only to find the road blocked with snow. He parked his car on Highway 23 and walked to the farm of Lucian and Laura Roth Close, located halfway between Highway 23 and Woodhull. With help from a midwife and the doctor, Lorraine was born. She lived there and went to grade school across the road and graduated from Rosendale High School.”She moved to Fond du Lac and worked in the Fond du Lac County Dairy Testing (milk) Laboratory. On April 12, 1947, she married Richard R. Rabe, son of Roy and Cora Breitenfeldt Rabe, at Eldorado Congregational Church, which is now a part of the Galloway Village.Lorraine had many jobs during her married life, as a school bus driver, knitter at Infant Socks, clerk at Northwest Fabrics, a caregiver, and of course, the field and tractor work, which she loved doing. She loved flowers, gardening, sewing, and collecting Hummels. She enjoyed square dancing and going to Texas for the winters.She was a member of Salem-Eldorado United Methodist Church.Their marriage was blessed with two sons: Richard (Cheryl) Rabe of Eldorado and Gary (Kathi) Rabe of Eldorado. She was also blessed with three grandchildren: Chad (Deanna) Rabe, Kristin (Aaron) Kohlman, and Kimberly (Craig) Sheskey; and great-grandchildren: Tyler, Luke, and Zachery Rabe, Adeline and Ella Kohlman, and Finley Sheskey; and a step-great-granddaughter, Cassidy Kohlman. She is further survived by a sister, Ruth (Jack) Meier; many nieces and nephews; and special friend, Grace Mills.She was preceded in death by her parents; her husband, Richard, on June 25, 1999; her siblings: Donald Close and Leonard Close, Ada Barfknecht, Edna Bartz, Eleanor Morris, and Jeanette Phillips; and a special cousin, Elda Hankwitz.The funeral service will be held at 1:00 p.m. on Saturday, August 16, 2014, at Mach Funeral Chapel & Crematory, 31 East Division Street, Fond du Lac, with Rev. Kerry J. Wilson officiating. The visitation will be on Saturday at Mach Funeral Chapel & Crematory from 11:00 a.m. until the time of service.Burial will be in Estabrooks Cemetery.

Lorraine A. Rabe

January 11, 1926 - August 12, 2014