BEVERLEY RABE
Beverley Rabe was born July 31, 1931 at Cayucos, California to Marie and Henry Rabe. At the age of three Beverley had encephalitis that left her blind and mentally challenged. She moved to Holdrege with her parents in the early 1970’s, and her parents were both suffering with cancer. They then admitted Beverley to Bethphage Mission in Axtel, Nebraska. Her parents then asked Marlene and Eiber Alberts to be her guardian, and they were her guardians for 46 years. Beverley lived at Bethphage for two years. The state was then requiring Bethphage to put door numbers in braille on every door, and the cost to them would have been very expensive. Marlene and Eiber then asked if she could become a resident at the Good Samaritan Society - Auburn. They accepted her, and she was a resident at Good Sam for 44 years where they became her second family. They took very good care of her listening to her play “Wipe Out” and sing “You Are My Sunshine” many times over the years. As it became more difficult for Marlene and Eiber to take care of everything, they added their daughters, Becky Rippe and Mary Lyn Kruger as guardians.
Beverley could remember names of people around her and would often ask them if they had brought her chocolate cake with chocolate frosting! She could never see a note of music, but she could play the piano, organ, accordion and harmonica very well.
On December 5, 2020, Beverley passed away at the Good Samaritan Society in Auburn, having reached the age of 89 years, 4 months, and 4 days. She was preceded in death by her parents, brother and sister-in-law Wayne Rabe, many others including guardian Marlene Alberts.
She was survived by guardians Eiber Alberts, Becky Rippe and Mary Lyn Kruger, cousins Carol Bogle of Plattsmouth, Nebraska, DeLynn Kienker of Estes Park, Colorado, Wilma Geyer of Humboldt, Neb., Janyce Heywood of Auburn, Neb., Myrna Meister of Fremont, Neb., Ardis Schenk of Bad Axe, Mich., Mildred Needham of Lincoln, Neb., and Marjorie Merritt of Lincoln.
She will be laid to rest at the St. Paul’s (Hickory Grove) Lutheran Church where her Grandma and Grandpa Rabe are also buried.
A graveside memorial service was held Wednesday, December 9, 2020 at St. Paul Lutheran (Hickory Grove) Cemetery near Auburn, officiated by Rev. Paul Lillenas.