Max Leon Gabel

Max Leon Gabel, age 90, of Shelby, Nebraska, passed away August 16, 2023 at Annie Jeffrey Memorial County Hospital in Osceola.

Funeral services will be held Monday, August 21, 2023 at 10:00 a.m. at Shelby Sacred Heart Catholic Church with Father Andrew Litt officiating. Visitation will be held Sunday, August 20 from 4:00 to 6:00 p.m. at the church followed with a 6:00 p.m. Rosary.Organist will be Judy Vrbka. Vocalists will be Rita Houdersheldt and Roy Houdersheldt. Guitarist will be Steve Reiners. Musical selections will be "On Eagle's Wings", "Amazing Grace" "I Am The Bread of Life", "In The Garden" and "On In God." Nathan Gabel and Connor Price will be servers. Donnie Steager will be Acolyte. Rich Gillespie will be Reader. Pallbearers will be Clinton Goelz, Chris Goelz, Scott Goelz, Sam Prien, Colin Millar and Wes Goranson. Interment will be in the Shelby Cemetery. Military Rites by Shelby American Legion Post.

Lunch will follow at the Osceola fairgrounds.

Max was born November 16, 1932 in Shelby, Nebraska to John Edmund and Rose Helena (Alt) Gabel. He attended school in Shelby graduating from Shelby High School in 1950. Following high school Max joined the Navy Air Corp in 1950 and served during the Korean Conflict, then transferred to the reserves until his honorable discharge in 1959. Max began farming and raising livestock two miles west and a half mile south of Shelby, and worked for Behlen Manufacturing in Columbus for a short time.

On November 7, 1959 he was united in marriage to Rosalie Valeria Kresha at St. Andrew’s Catholic Church in Osceola. To this union three children were born. As a farmer he never fully retired as he enjoyed helping on the farm.

He was a member of Sacred Heart Catholic Church where he served on the board. He was also a member of Shelby American Legion Post 296, serving for a time as Commander.

Max enjoyed flowers, gardening, puzzles, reading, collecting stamps and coins, playing cards, golfing and fishing. He was a fan of John Wayne western music, and miniature antique cars. His greatest joy was being with family and going to the grandchildren’s activities.

Survivors include his wife Rosalie of Shelby; daughter Maxine Goelz of Shelby; two sons, John (Mary Ann) Gabel of Lincoln and Steven (LaDonna) Gabel of Osceola; 11 grandchildren: Clinton (Lisa) Goelz, Chris Goelz, Scott (Ashley) Goelz, Abbie (Wes) Goranson, Cassie Gustafson, Madeline, Valerie and Nathan Gabel, Amanda (Sam) Prien, Jessica (Colin) Millar and Stephanie Gabel; 12 great grandchildren; sister Eleanor Eickmeier of Stromsburg; brother Norman (Karen) Gabel of Osceola; sisters-in-law Mary Lou (Lee) Dunekacke of Johnson, NE, Romona (Ronnie) Smith of Shelby, Carol Kresha of Osceola, Betti Ann (Steve) Witulski of Morrison, CO and brothers-in-law Joe (Lou) Kresha of Osceola and Wayne Grosch of Dublin, Georgia; nieces, nephews and a host of other relatives and friends.

He was preceded in death by his parents, John and Rose Gabel; sisters Lorraine (Ed Klein) (John) Harbor, Delores (Paul) Meister; brother Arnold (Ingrid) Gabel; brothers-in-law Larry Kresha and Richard Eickmeier; sister-in-law Kathy Grosch; and great grandson Joseph Goelz.

Memorials are suggested to the family to be designated later.

Dubas Funeral Home of Osceola and Stromsburg has been entrusted with arrangements. Dubasfuneralhome.com

To send flowers to the family or plant a tree in memory of Max Leon Gabel, please visit our floral store.