Henry Robert Gabriel

1926 - 2015

Gabriel, Henry Robert Fortified with the Sacraments of Holy Mother Church, and under the care of Heartland Hospice and his family at his bedside, Henry R. Gabriel passed away Saturday, May 23, 2015, at 6:30 p.m. at the age of 89. Henry Bud, Gabe, Hank Gabriel, was born on January 30, 1926 in Granite City, Illinois. Henry was a member of Holy Family Catholic Church in Granite City, where he was active in design and maintenance of the Church properties. He was a member of the Knights of Columbus Council # 1098 and was a fourth degree Member Council. He was one of the founding board members of the United Catholic Credit Union serving on the board for 40 years; served as a Granite City Park District Board member and past president. He was a past member of Optimist International, Board of Directors of the Tri City Chamber of Commerce, and was a past president of the American Institute of Architects -Southern Illinois Chapter. He was a Veteran of the United States Navy in World War II and a past member of the Tri City Veterans, V.F.W. and the American Legion. He graduated from the University of Illinois in 1950 with a Bachelor of Science in Architecture. He went into private practice in Granite City in 1953. He designed many projects during his 67 years of Architectural practice in Illinois and Missouri. Notable projects in Granite City designed by Henry R. Gabriel, Architect: 1953 Master Plan for St. Elizabeth Parish; 1954 St. Elizabeth Catholic Elementary School; 1956 Y.M.C.A. Remodeling; 1957 St. Peter & Paul Elementary School, Collinsville, IL; 1957 St. Elizabeth Hospital Addition (Benny Wing); 1957 St. Elizabeth School Auditorium; 1957 Granite City Municipal Center Master Plan at 23rd and Madison Ave. (never followed through by city); 1957 Granite Fire Station (1st building of the municipal center - Published Nationally In Architectural Record magazine); 1959 Senior High School Addition; 1960 Granite City Park District Fountain; 1960 St. Elizabeth School Addition; 1961 St. Elizabeth Convent: 1961 Maryville & Wilson School Additions; 1962 Mitchell & Nameoki School Additions; 1962 Granite City Housing Authority, Housing for the Elderly: 1964 Ice Rink, Granite City Park District; 1964 Prather, Mitchell, Wilson, School Additions; 1964 Emerson School Addition; 1964 New Grigsby Junior High School; 1964 Senior High School Cafeteria Building; 1965 Fornaszewski Music Building; 1968 Senior High School North; 1974 New Madison County Jail; 1979 Granite City CUSD #9 Life/ Safety Work; 1983 Automotive Shop Granite City CUSC #9; 1991 Calvary Catholic Cemetery Office Building, Edwardsville, IL; 1994 Madison County Jail Addition, Edwardsville, IL; 1997 Holy Family Catholic School Addition; 2003 New YMCA Granite City, IL. As a designer and planner, he had made many early predictions concerning the life of Granite City: in the late 1940's, the development of Horse Shoe Lake into a State Park; in the early 1950's the demise of the downtown area of Granite City due to the lack of planning and haphazard zoning. He had many more predictions concerning his home town which will be occurring within the coming years, including unaccepted ideas on how to take advantage of them. Two of his favorite descriptions: 1. The word expert. We all know through taking algebra that x was always the unknown, and from the wonders of Physics, we learned that a spirt was a drip under pressure and thus, it was apparent that an expert, is just an unknown drip under pressure. 2. From Luke 4:24, And He said, 'Amen, I say to you, no prophet is accepted in his own native place.' Some of Henry's many hobbies were writing of poems, and songs, art work of all kinds, painting, wood carvings, and almost anything where he could use his mind and hands. He also loved working in the yard. Henry was preceded in death by his first wife of 31 years, the former Rosalee Schepers of Granite City, whom he married at Sacred Heart Church in Granite City. He is survived by his second wife, Ruth Ann (Druhe), (Partney) Gabriel, after 32 years of marriage. They were married at St. Joseph Catholic Church of Granite City. Also surviving are his (little) big sister, Lorayne Mills , and her extended family, his big brother's extended family, his daughters, Elizabeth Ann Gabriel (Florida), Jane Marie Rozycki (Edwardsville, IL), Karen Sue Gabriel (St. Louis, MO), Donna (Partney) Griffin (St. Louis, MO) and Diane (Partney) Brown (Granite City, IL). Grandchildren: Jason Wood (St. Louis, MO), Gabrielle (Rozycki) Hatten (Collinsville, IL), Nathan Rozycki (Collinsville, IL), Kara Partney (Edwardsville, IL), Nathan Griffin, Ryan Griffin and Lauren Griffin (St. Louis, MO); and Savanna Brown (Granite City, IL). Great Grandchildren: Carter Hatten. He was preceded in death by his big brother, Paul Gabriel (Granite City), his father, Henry Joseph Gabriel (Pennsylvania) and his mother Elizabeth Bernadine (Koehler) Gabriel (Mitchell, IL). Services: His body has been donated to St. Louis University. There will be no visitation. A Memorial Mass by Reverend Father Jeff Holtman will be held on Saturday, May 30th at 10 a.m. at Holy Family Catholic Church in Granite City, Illinois. Memorials can be made to the Cancer Society; Holy Family Catholic Church of 2606 Washington Ave., Granite City, Illinois; St Elizabeth Catholic Church of 2300 Pontoon Road, Granite City, Illinois; Heartland Hospice of Glen Carbon, IL.