Richard Lee Gabler

Richard Lee Gabler, 92, of High Hill, died Thursday, March 12, 2015 at the Schulenburg Regency Nursing Center in Schulenburg with his family by his side. Richard was born on March 9, 1923 in Freyburg to Henry and Minnie (Frohnapfel) Gabler. The youngest of six children, he was raised on his grandparent’s farm and attended Freyburg Public School for nine years after which he spent a year working for the (C.C.C.) Civilian Conservation Corp in Seguin, sending money home to help his family. Mr. Gabler was inducted into the U.S. Army on Feb. 16, 1943 to fight in W.W. II. He served thirty-seven and a half months in the U.S.A., England, France, Belgium, Holland, and Germany as a sergeant in the U.S. Army Infantry Tank Corp Company C 739th Tank Battalion. Richard married Georgia Lillian Barta of Ammannsville on June 4, 1946. They first lived in Ammansville, then the Abbott’s Grove area, finally making their permanent home in High Hill in 1959. God, family, and friends were always most important to Richard and Georgia. The two of them were inseparable and lifelong partners in worship, work, and raising a family on their crop farm which included a dairy for several years. In the early years, Richard worked as a substitute rural mail carrier to bring in extra money. Mr. Gabler spent a year and a half working for the G.E. Ruhman Manufacturing Co. making wooden handles for shovels and wheel barrows. After he lost his job because of a war back injury, he started selling World Book Encyclopedias door to door. In 1964 Richard became a part-time clerk-carrier in the Schulenburg Post Office and two years later was assigned a full-time mail carrier route until he retired in 1980. Many remember him as the friendly mailman that would give gum to all the children and could get along with any dog on his route. Mr. Gabler was a devout member of St. Mary Catholic Church in High Hill, the St. Joseph Society, KJT, an honorary lifetime member of the Schulenburg Knights of Columbus Council # 2902, V.F.W., American Legion, Disabled Americans Veterans, and the Texas German Society. Richard had a beautiful voice and loved to sing, dance, and play his harmonica and dominoes. His friendship knew no age boundaries. Mr. Gabler is survived by one daughter, Katharine Henneke and husband, Robert H. of Columbus; three sons, David Gabler of Conroe, Bernard Gabler of Victoria, and Leonard Gabler and wife, Deborah of La Grange; two sisters-in-law, Lorene Gabler of Schulenburg and Joyce Barta of Houston. He is also survived by seven grandchildren, 18 great-grandchildren, and one great-great-granddaughter. Richard is preceded in death by his parents; his beloved wife Georgia; two brothers Walter and Alfred Gabler; four sisters, Leonita Fiedler, Maurine Trefny, Leona Fiedler, and an infant sister; and one great-grandchild, Luke Michael Becka. Serving as pallbearers are grandsons, Eric Henneke, Chad Henneke, Ricky Gabler and grandsons-in-law, J.J. McKinzie, Dwayne Machen, Michael Wallace, and Robert Stephenson. Honorary pallbearers are all the countless friends he made over the years. Visitation was at Schwenke-Baumgarten Funeral Home in Schulenburg, on Monday, March 16, 2015 from 2 to 4 p.m. and then at St. Mary Catholic Church in High Hill from 5 to 8 p.m. with the American Legion/V.F.W. memorial service at 6:30 p.m. followed by a Parish Prayer Service and Rosary at 7 p.m. Funeral services will be held Tuesday, March 17, 2015 at 10 a.m. at St. Mary Catholic Church in High Hill with visitation from 9 to 10 a.m. Concelebrating the funeral mass will be Fr. Tim Kosler, Fr. Frank Lenz, and Fr. Dan Kahlich. Burial will take place in the St. Mary Catholic Cemetery in High Hill. Memorial contributions may be given to St. Mary Catholic Church, 2833 FM 2672, Schulenburg, Texas 78956; or St. John the Baptist Catholic Church, 7745 Mensik Road, Schulenburg, Texas 78956; or Freyburg United Methodist Church, P.O. Box 43, Schulenburg, Texas 78956; or the charity of your choice. Online condolences may be shared with the family at www.schwenke-baumgarten.com. Funeral services under the direction of Schwenke-Baumgarten Funeral Home in Schulenburg.