R
ichard Lynn “Dick” Rabel, 60, of South Charleston, WV went to be with the Lord Tuesday, August 28, 2018 at the home of his brother, Ronnie Rabel.
He was a graduate of George Washington High School. Dick worked as a heavy equipment operator through the years for E.E. Moore Co., Orders & Haynes Paving Co., WV Paving, Inc., and retired from Wiseman Construction Co. in Charleston, WV. He was a member of the Operating Engineers Local 132 and also a member of Hopewell Independent Missionary Baptist Church.
Dick dearly loved hunting, fishing and shooting long ranges of 600 yards or more. He won several state competitions hitting several shots within one inch of the target. He also killed a black bear at a distance of 600 yards.
He was preceded in death by his mother, Violet Rabel and stepmother, Betty Rabel.
Dick is survived by his daughter, Gina (William) Gunnoe; father, Hubert; brothers, Hubert Lane (Susan), Ronnie (Teresa), Terry, and Chuck (Anita) Rabel; grandson, Reese Gillispie; and nieces and nephews, Rachel, John H. (Emily), Jonathan Lane, Will, Elizabeth, Bailey, McKenna, Jessica and Anna.
Service will be 2:00 p.m. Saturday, September 1, at Curry Funeral Home in Alum Creek with Pastor Charles Kidd officiating. A private burial will be held at a later date on the Rabel Farm. The family will receive friends 2 hours prior to the service.
In lieu of flowers, the family requests memorial contributions to HospiceCare, 1606 Kanawha Blvd., W., Charleston, WV 25387-2536.
At Dick’s request, please dress in camouflage for the service.
Great man I guess the Lord needed a new hunting partner.
Will miss the smile – always genuine – always “Dick”
Will miss the smile – always genuine- always “Dick”
Dick & I spent most of our teenage years hunting, fishing, and digging ginseng. I would like to say how many trout we caught, one day in Block Run, but I’m not sure about the statute of limitations on that sort of thing. Dick caught more trout than me that day, well he always caught more than me.
You must understand that Dick was at home when he was on a stream or in the woods. He was a professional outdoorsman that made mental notes of the weather, the stream color, how many acorns or beechnuts were on the ground, etc., and he stored that information away for another day. That’s what gave him the edge when fishing or hunting…plus Dick could handle a fishing pole like a maestro conducting an orchestra and a shotgun or rifle, well,they were as natural to him as his arm or hands..as if he’d been born with them.
I could go on forever, but I must get to my point. Whenever, wherever we were hunting, fishing, or hunting ginseng, we would always pick a place that we both knew well, to meet up when the day was over. Dick would say, “I’ll take and go out this point, you go down the left side, and we’ll meet down there at the forks of the hollow”. One time on Deer Creek I remember him saying, “ you know where the fall rock is up Sutton Run?” “We’ll meet up there”.
Last Thursday evening I talked with Dick for the last time. He was weak, but we laughed together and reminisced about old times and better days. Before I left I asked, “where we were gonna meet up?” He thought a minute and said, with those eyes snapping and just as bright and sharp as ever, “I’ll see you on the other side, it’s just like going through the door over there”.
We shook hands, and I left. Dick went through the door today, and we both, just like old times, know where we’ll meet, on the other side, someday soon.
Tim, what a nice tribute to Dick.
I could hear him speak those words as I read your remembrance, Tim. Thank God, we’ll meet again.
It was enjoyable being around Dickey, and hearing him Testify in Church services RIP Dick