Halee Denise Rathgeber

1996 - 2017

Halee Denise Rathgeber

Newburgh, Ind.

Halee Denise Rathgeber, 20, of Newburgh, Ind., was tragically taken on Monday, April 24,2017. She was born on December 3, 1996 at St. Mary's Hospital in Evansville, Ind., to Tharon Rathgeber and Heather Raber-Collins.

Halee graduated in the top of her class from Castle High School with Honors in 2015. She was a two-time recipient of the Presidential Award and a member of the National Honor Society. Halee was a second year Nursing student at the University of Southern Indiana and was on the Dean's list every semester she attended USI. Halee's dream of becoming a nurse came from a life-threatening blood disorder, which resulted in a coma, and from that she had the desire to become a nurse and help others from the help she received during that time.

Halee took pride in her work in the community with the Veterans Administration and St. Mary's Hospital. Halee spent her high school years working for Donut Bank in Newburgh, and during her time in college, she enjoyed working with her Texas Roadhouse family. The biggest part of her heart belonged to her love for her two sisters, Emilee and Kylee Rathgeber. She was their leader and role model and they will be forever lost without her but will carry on in her honor. Her immense love for her aunt, Cheri, and uncle, Harlan, changed their lives and they will forever be broken. In her spare time, Halee devoted herself to helping friends and family in any way she could.

Halee had an infectious smile that would light up a room, and a caring heart that was unmatched. She lived by the motto of "love everyone…for no reason at all." Her determination and strength was obvious to everyone that knew her. Even though Halee spent a lot of her time working, she took great pride in her schoolwork as well. To her, failure was never an option.

Halee is preceded in death by her paternal great-grandfather, Del "Papa" Blaylock; her grandfather, Victor McHenry; her grandfather, Ralph Morris, her great-grandmother, Thelma Blaylock; her great-grandfather, Pete Driskell; her great-grandfather, George Raber; her great-grandmother, Vallie Raber; her great-uncle, Gene (Beverly) Blaylock; and other special family members.

She is survived by her father and stepmother, Tharon and Lisa Rathgeber; her mother and partner, Heather Collins and Marty Fisher; her sisters, Emilee and Kylee Rathgeber; her stepbrothers and stepsister, Clint Davis, Sierra (Jake) Tison, Cameron and Jordan Fisher; her nephew, Levi Tison; her special aunt and uncle, Cheri and Harlan Schroeder; her grandparents, Cindy McHenry, Timothy and Sara Raber, Lynn Morris, Ron and Sharon Pullum; her great-grandmother, Shirley Driskell; her aunt, Shelly La Rue (BJ); her uncle, Scott Pullum (Lorie). Special love goes out to her uncle Buck and Jamie, who were always there from the very beginning, they always made those special days, extra special; as well as many other aunts, uncles, and cousins.

A public celebration of the life of our special princess will be Sunday, April 30, 2017, from 3:30 to 8 p.m. at Crossroads Christian Church on Outer Lincoln Avenue in Newburgh, Ind. A private funeral service will be held Monday morning.

In lieu of flowers, contributions may be made in memory of Halee for her sisters, Emilee and Kylee's college fund at Field & Main Bank on Burkhardt Road. Halee will forever be in the hearts of family and friends. She helped change the world without letting the world change her.

Arrangements are in the care of Titzer Family Funeral Homes, Simpson Chapel, 510 W. Jennings St., Newburgh, IN, (812) 853-8314. Sympathy wishes to the family may be shared at www.titzerfuneralhomes.com.