Margaret Louise Rabel, 88, died peacefully at home on January 29, 2013, and will rest forever by the side of her husband, John Bernard Rabel, at Graceland Memorial Park. She is survived by her daughters Patricia (Fravel) Milam and Nancy (Steve) Canterbury of Rabel Mountain, Deborah Titcher of Charleston, Catherine (Philip) Thompson of Omaha, NE, and Martha (Dave Martin) Lilly of Edens Fork; as well as her seven grandchildren and five great grandchildren.
She was the daughter of Custer and Lula Tate Holmes and also was preceded in death by her sisters, Josephine Hillenbrand and Gladys Holland, and brothers, Kenneth and Ralph Holmes. Surviving siblings are Eugene Holmes of Eleanor, Mary Phares of St. Albans and Emery Holmes of Ceres, California. She was a 1942 graduate of Stonewall Jackson High School and a former C&P telephone operator.
Her family will always be indebted to the comfort, care, laughter and joy provided by her loving caregivers: Lori Woody, Penny Caldwell, Patty Jones and Tonja Riddick.
Memorial donations may be made to Kanawha/Chas. Humane Assoc., 1248 Greenbrier St., Chas., WV 25311.
Hello Darlin, I know I’m late my life is so crazy busy now, but I can’t believe it’s been over a year since I’ve seen that wonderful smile you always had for me and over a year since I’ve heard your laughter! I think of you a lot and miss you terribly I miss our being silly, laughing, joking and taking drives just to look around I miss listening to you talk about when you were a kid and that wonderful story about how you and Bernie met, how you got married and you paid change to your sister so that you wouldn’t have to be the one that told. How I loved our talks and miss them so but I knew the day you passed that’s what you wanted was to be with Bernie again and your mom and dad and even though it broke my heart and still does I know your happy.
R.I.P my sweet angel I love you and miss you so much!
I am vey late with my sympathy, but I would like to say that Margaret Rabel was a fine woman and I was very honored to have known her. but I would like to correct that it was not her 3 oldest daughters that gave her care. it was her paid caregivers. Lori Woody which gave up her own personal life and moved in with Margaret in her last months. Margaret loved her dearly and enjoyed their time together. Lori slept by her bed the morning she passed. it is comforting knowing she was not alone. May she rest in peace
Words cannot even begin to express our sorrow, you and your family are in our thoughts and prayers.
With deepest Symphony in the loss of your wonderful mother. She was such a wonderful lady! She was good to all of us kids growing up on Clay Avenue. I will never forget her wonderful hot rolls ( I still have her receipe and make them on special occasions), crocheting house slippers, and making quilts and all the canning of the fresh vegetables grown out on the farm. I enjoyed us kids going out to the farm to bail hay, and just hang out.
Those were the good old days. With Love, Linda Rhodes Teel
Thanks for your fond remembrances of our mom. Yes, we all had fun growing up on Clay Ave. and spending time on the farm. Patty, Debbie and I took care of both our parents in the last couple of years which enabled them to remain at home where they most wanted to be — out on Rabel Mountain.