Rita Strebel

Strebel, Rita

Rita M. Strebel, 92, Green Bay, passed away in her sleep at the Jack & Engrid Meng Unity Residence Tuesday evening, Dec. 10, 2013. The daughter of the late Jacob and Mary Craanen was born Aug. 29, 1921. She married Ralph Strebel at Holy Cross Catholic Church in Bay Settlement on June 24, 1942. Ralph and Rita celebrated 50 years of marriage in 1992.

Mom was the ultimate gardener--always the biggest, prettiest flowers. Tasty vegetables and berries (especially her raspberries) were lovingly canned and frozen in her basement "canning kitchen" to be shared with family and friends.

Mom was a great cook and even a better baker. She made great homemade bread and the cookie jar was always full of homemade cookies. Mom loved the family gatherings at Thanksgiving and Christmas. If anyone left hungry, it was no fault of Mom's.

Mom loved scrapbooking—she had scrapbooks of trips she and Dad had made to many states including Hawaii and Alaska. She had books with photos, newspaper clippings of family and friends. She loved the cabin at White Potato Lake and fishing with Dad.

Mom-a lifelong New Franken resident, took an apartment in Green Bay in October of 2007 at Highland Park where she made many new friends and card playing buddies. She seldom missed an afternoon or evening card session in the activity room and loved to get the cribbage board out on Tuesday mornings and anytime someone would come to visit. If you didn't play cards, she had quite a collection of board games. Mom also loved the once a month run to Joe Rohr's with her friends. She looked forward to her Friday afternoon smear club.

Mom was a member of St. Kilian Parish in New Franken since 1942. She recently joined St. Bernard Parish after she moved to Green Bay. She belonged to the St. Kilian Christian Mothers for many years and was also active in the Catholic Knights. She also volunteered at the St. Vincent de Paul store many years.

Thank you Mom for being a great mother, grandmother, great-grandmother and friend. You will be missed and are forever in our hearts.

Survivors include six sons, two daughters and their spouses: Jerome "Jerry" and Rosie; Carl and his special friend, Becky; Lois and Mike VandeLoo; Carol and Jud Moeller; Dale and Patty; Dan; Darold and Glen and Sheila; 25 grandchildren and 26 great grandchildren; two brothers, Herbert (Lucille) Craanen and Clayton Craanen; sister, Dorothy Malezewski.

Rita was preceded in death by her husband, Ralph; son, David; brothers and sisters-in-law, Donald and Gen, Milton and Marilyn Craanen and Ardella Craanen.

Friends may call at the Proko-Wall Funeral Home, 1630 E. Mason St. from 3:00 to 8:00 p.m. Friday. There will be a parish wake service 7:00 p.m. Friday. Visitation will continue on Saturday at St. Bernard Catholic Church, 2040 Hillside Lane, after 9:30 a.m. until time of mass. Funeral Mass 11:00 a.m. Saturday at the church with Rev. Mark Vander Steeg officiating. Entombment will be at Shrine of the Good Shepherd Mausoleum. On-line condolences may be sent to the Strebel family at www.prokowall.com. In lieu of floral expressions, a memorial fund has been established in her name.

The family extends a special thank you to the 7th floor staff at St. Vincent Hospital and a very sincere thanks to the staff at the Jack & Engrid Meng Unity Residence for the special care in making Mom's last days peaceful and comfortable.