Obituary of Doris Janet Rabe

RABE (née Tuck): Doris Janet Rabe of Brandon, MB passed away peacefully with her children at her side on Monday, December 3, 2012 at the Brandon Regional Health Centre at 82 years of age. Left to cherish her memory are her children - son Ron Rabe and wife Jodee and the grandchildren Jennifer and Tyler Rabe; and daughter Debbie Debassige and husband Russ and the grandchildren Daniel, Dawson, Derek and Calista Debassige. Doris was pre-deceased by her husband William Rabe in 1985. Doris was born March 16, 1930 in Winnipeg to proud parents Arthur and Edith Tuck. She grew up in East Kildonan where she went to prep school and took tap dancing and piano lessons. She spent summers travelling to Birds Hill to swim and pick berries. At the age of 12, Doris' family moved to Sherburn Street in Winnipeg. She attended Principal Sparling School and Daniel McIntyre Collegiate. Doris later took to night courses at Success Business School. Doris enjoyed canoeing and joined the Winnipeg Canoe Club. Doris wanted to Nurse, so went in training at Misericordia for 3 years and obtained her Registered Nurse degree. First she did private duty nursing and then worked for 5 years as an office nurse. She also nursed in Oakland, California for a brief while. Doris met William Rabe from Alexander at Danceland at Clear Lake and was married at St. Paul's Church in 1962. Doris gained a wonderful new family through her marriage to Bill; Evelyn (Fred) Parks and Don Rabe of Alexander and June (Bill) Tivy and Reta (Bill) Koropatnick of Vancouver. Doris and Bill moved to their farm at Alexander in 1962. Doris loved the farm and the garden and took an active role in all aspects of the farm. They very much enjoyed camping and spent a great deal of time at Clear Lake in the summer. Doris moved to Brandon to Birchview Place in 1994. Doris loved to be with people. She was always interested in what everyone was doing and never had a bad word to say about anyone. Doris loved to attend teas, fowl suppers, card games, and just about any excuse to go have tea and dainties. Doris loved her time spent with charities and organizations such as UCW, Order of the Eastern Star, Red Hats, Seniors for Seniors, volunteer work at the hospital, and was active in Alexander Church and later Trinity United Church. Doris loved music of all kinds; she enjoyed singing in the United Church and Eastern Star choirs. Doris had just moved to Riverheights Terrace in summer of 2012 and was making new friends, enjoying great food and the many activities. Doris loved to travel and was fortunate to visit 26 countries around the world! She travelled to all Canadian provinces and 23 states in the US and went on 12 cruises. Doris travelled with Eastern Star on bus trips to visit other chapters all over Canada and the US. Doris was a great Mother and Grandmother to her kids and grandchildren and cherished spending as much time as she could with them, playing games, driving to visit them or to see them play sports, and sharing meals. She will be dearly missed as a fantastic role model and friend. We were privileged to have Mom in our lives and she will be forever in our hearts. Thank you to the staff at Brandon RHA; Dr. Meredith, Dr. Ramaya and the incredible nurses of Emergency, 400 Medicine and Assiniboine Centre Palliative for both their professionalism and their warm and personal care. The funeral service was held at Brockie Donovan Chapel in Brandon on December 7, 2012. Lunch followed at Central United Church. Interment was in the family plot at Alexander Cemetery. Rev. Wayne Sanderson officiated. Thank you to all of Doris' family and friends who attended, touched us with their cards and phone calls, sent baking and flowers and to those who made donations to charitable causes in memory of Doris.