Jeanette Leigh Gabel

1935 - 2021

Jeanette Leigh Gabel

March, 7, 1935 - December 10, 2021

Jeanette Leigh Gabel, age 86 years, 9 months and 3 days of Shelby, Nebraska was called home December 10, 2021 from Annie Jeffrey Hospital after a brief illness. Jeanette was born March, 7, 1935 to Louis and Nora (Rosenberry) Daum at home in Shelby. She attended 1st and 2nd grade in Shelby, 3rd and 4th grade in David City, and 5th and 6th grade in Fremont. The family then settled in Shelby where she attended 7th and 8th grade at District 15 country school and graduated from Shelby High School in 1952.

In 1957, Jeanette finally said yes to Eugene's third marriage proposal (fearing he might not ask a fourth time) and on December 28 she was united in marriage to Eugene Gabel at Sacred Heart Catholic Church in Shelby. At the time, she was teaching country school and no doubt the students were excited to have an extra week of Christmas vacation so the teacher could go on her honeymoon to New Orleans. To this union one daughter was born.

Jeanette taught country school in Polk County and worked in the Court House for Olive McBeth during the summer. When the country schools closed, Jeanette taught second grade at Shelby Public School. She loved to teach but was forced to retire early as she could no longer be on her feet all day with her limp, the result of breaking her hip at age 11 when she fell off the front step at their farm. In retirement, medical procedures had improved enough to facilitate a full hip replacement. Although she had to learn to walk again and recovery was lengthy, she no longer had a limp.

She enjoyed traveling with Eugene. For 10 years, beginning in 1998, they spent winters in their motor home at Mission, Texas Campground in Cannon Lake, Texas. Jeanette was a member of Sacred Heart Catholic Church, St. Ann's Guild, Shelby Legion Auxiliary, Friendly Neighbors' Club and many bridge groups. She loved to play cards until macular degeneration compromised her sight. She always enjoyed visiting with people and a few of her cousins fondly refer to her as the "Carol Burnett cousin" since there was always plenty of laughter when they got together.

She was preceded in death by husband Eugene, parents Nora and Louis, infant sister Beverly, sisters-in-law Karen Daum, Leah Gabel and Alyce Morgan, brother-in-law William Morgan, and nephews Scott Gabel and Todd Gabel. Survivors include daughter Krystal Gabel of Shelby, brother Larry Daum of Casa Grande, AZ, brothers-in-law Edmund Gabel of Lincoln, Michael Gabel of Shelby, Roger Gabel (Sandy) of Shelby, former sister-in-law Ila Gabel of David City, 5 nieces and 5 nephews, and a host of other relatives and friends.

Funeral mass will be held Thursday, December 16, 2021 at 10:00 a.m. at Shelby Sacred Heart Catholic Church with Father Andrew Litt officiating. Visitation will be Wednesday, December 15 from 7:00 to 7:30 p.m. followed by a 7:30 Rosary at the church. Interment will be in the Shelby Cemetery. In lieu of flowers memorials are suggested to the family to be designated later. Dubas Funeral Home of Osceola and Stromsburg has been entrusted with arrangements. dubasfuneralhome.com