Max Leon Gabel

Max Leon Gabel

November 16, 1932 - August 16, 2023

Max Leon Gabel, age 90, of Shelby, Nebraska, passed away Aug. 16, 2023, at Annie Jeffrey Memorial County Hospital in Osceola.

Funeral services will be held Monday, Aug. 21, 2023, at 10 a.m. at Shelby Sacred Heart Catholic Church with Father Andrew Litt officiating. Visitation will be held Sunday, Aug. 20, from 4 to 6 p.m. at the church followed with a 6 p.m. Rosary. Interment will be in the Shelby Cemetery. Lunch will follow at the Osceola fairgrounds.

Max was born Nov. 16, 1932, in Shelby, Nebraska, to John Edmund and Rose H. (Alt) Gabel. He attended school in Shelby graduating from Shelby High School in 1950. Following high school Max joined the Navy Air Corp in 1950 and served during the Korean Conflict, then transferred to the reserves until his honorable discharge in 1959. Max began farming and raising livestock two miles west and a half mile south of Shelby, and worked for Behlen Manufacturing in Columbus for a short time.

On Nov. 7, 1959, he was united in marriage to Rosalie Valeria Kresha at St. Andrew's Catholic Church in Osceola. To this union three children were born. As a farmer he never fully retired as he enjoyed helping on the farm.

He was a member of Sacred Heart Catholic Church where he served on the board. He was also a member of Shelby American Legion Post 296, serving for a time as Commander.

Max enjoyed flowers, gardening, puzzles, reading, collecting stamps and coins, playing cards, and fishing. He was a fan of John Wayne Western music, and miniature antique cars. His greatest joy was being with family and going to the grandchildren's activities.

Survivors include his wife Rosalie of Shelby; daughter Maxine Goelz of Shelby; two sons: John (Mary Ann) Gabel of Lincoln and Steven (LaDonna) Gabel of Osceola; 11 grandchildren: Clinton (Lisa) Goelz, Chris Goelz, Scott (Ashley) Goelz, Abbie (Wes) Goranson, Cassie Gustafson, Maddi, Valerie and Nathan Gabel, Amanda (Sam) Prein, Jessica (Colin) Millar and Stephanie Gabel; 12 great-grandchildren; sister Eleanor Eickmeier of Stromsburg; brother Norman (Karen) Gabel of Osceola; sisters-in-law: Mary Lou (Lee) Dunekacke of Johnson, Nebraska, Romona (Ronnie) Smith of Shelby, Carol Kresha of Osceola, Betti Ann (Steve) Witulski of Morrison, Colorado; and brothers-in-law: Joe (Lou) Kresha of Osceola and Wayne Grosch of Dublin, Georgia; nieces, nephews and a host of other relatives and friends.

He was preceded in death by his parent, John and Rose Gabel; sisters: Lorraine (Ed Klein) (John) Harbor, Delores (Paul) Meister; brother Arnold (Ingrid) Gabel; brothers-in-law: Larry Kresha and Richard Eickmeier; sister-in-law Kathy Grosch; and great-grandson Joseph Goelz.

Memorials are suggested to the family to be designated later.

Dubas Funeral Home of Osceola and Stromsburg has been entrusted with arrangements. Dubasfuneralhome.com