Martha Rabe

Martha Zority Rabe VIRGINA BEACH - Martha Zority Rabe, longtime resident of Warson Woods, Mo., died unexpectedly Oct. 31, 2008. Martha was born Jan. 25, 1918, in Cleveland to Hungarian immigrants Stephan and Mary Zority. Martha spent a happy childhood helping out in her father's drug store in Cleveland. She was very proud of her Hungarian heritage and could speak fluent Hungarian. She went on to graduate from Ohio State University with a degree in pharmacy. She began her career as a chemist for DuPont and Goodyear Tire Company. She also found time to help out her pharmacist father at his store. In 1946, she met Charles Castens Rabe, also a pharmacist, at a pharmacy convention in St. Louis. They were married in June of 1948. Theirs was a match made in heaven. They had 51 wonderful years together. They spent the early years of their marriage living in St. Louis, Boston, Washington D.C. and Tarrytown, N.Y. They had two daughters along the way. In 1961, they returned to St. Louis where Charles served as president of the St. Louis College of Pharmacy for 22 years. Martha worked as a pharmacist at St. Joseph's Hospital in Kirkwood, Mo., St. Louis County Hospital, City Hospital, VA Hospital, Sappington Drug in Sunset Hills, Mo., and other small pharmacies in the St. Louis area. She loved her profession and enjoyed every single day helping people and mentoring young pharmacists. She fiercely believed in the importance of education and spent many years helping her husband with fundraising for the St. Louis College of Pharmacy. It was pure pleasure for her. She also was a longtime member of First Presbyterian Church in Kirkwood, Mo. Her years in St. Louis were the happiest of her life. In many ways Martha was ahead of her time. She worked in a field dominated by men but always believed that women could be successful in any profession. She was a happy, fun-loving, spunky woman who enjoyed a good conversation, a good time and a good laugh. She loved her family and thought the world of her children and grandchildren. She loved life and lived it to the fullest. We will miss her dearly. She had moved to Atria senior living in Virginia Beach in April to be near family. The family would like to thank the staff at Atria for their loving, kind care. She is survived by two daughters, Connie Rabe Schreiber (husband Mark) of Virginia Beach and Pam Rabe of Seattle; and six grandchildren, Vanessa Schreiber Chang (husband Howard), Laura Schreiber, Charlie Schreiber, Anne Schreiber, John Schreiber and Irene Rabe; along with niece, Suzanne Carter of Steeleville, Ill. She was predeceased by her parents; her husband; her niece, Leslie Ivanuck; her sister-in-law, Dorothy Ivanuck; and her brother-in-law, Dr. Marion Ivanuck. A memorial service will be held Saturday, Nov. 22, at 11 a.m. in First Presbyterian Church of Kirkwood, Mo. The family asks that, in lieu of flowers, donations may be made to the Charles C. Rabe Scholarship Fund at the St. Louis College of Pharmacy, 4588 Parkview Place, St. Louis, MO 63110.