Obituary of Virginia W. Rabe
Virginia (Ginny) Rabe passed away peacefully on May 16th, 2022. She was born on the Wisniewski farm in Boonville, NY on April 6th, 1934, the last of twelve children of an immigrant Polish couple, Frank and Mary Wielka Wisniewski. Ginny attended the one room schoolhouse just down the road from the farm on Potato Hill where she helped teach the younger students and graduated several years ahead of schedule, becoming an accomplished pianist along the way. She later attended a secretarial school and went on to graduate from the Cortland State Teachers School, majoring in Biology. Using her degree, she taught Science in several local school districts including West Canada Valley, Holland Patent, New Hartford, Rome, the New York State School for the Deaf and she substitute taught during and after her teaching career. Along the way she mentored hundreds of students who were no doubt grateful for her tutelage.
In 1958, she met a handsome Air Force lieutenant, Richard Rabe, while snow skiing at Snow Ridge and immediately knew that they needed to share their lives together and formed a loving marriage that remained strong during the next 61 years. Ginny was very active in many organizations including the Ming Twig, Wednesday Morning Club, Griffiss Ski Club, and the Lake Delta Yacht Club. Ginny loved her home on Lake Delta where she spent countless hours admiring the view.
Ginny is survived by her husband Rich, her three sons Mark (Sue), Scott (Rene’), and Craig (Suzanne), four grandchildren, Kaitlyn, Cole, Kelsey, and Danielle, along with several nieces and nephews, step grandchildren, and great grandchildren. She was predeceased by her parents and all of her eleven siblings.
The family would like to extend our thanks to the staff at Rome Memorial Hospital, her in-home caregivers from Caregivers Home Care, especially Laura Molina, who was instrumental in providing Ginny with the best level of comfort and care and giving Rich peace of mind. Our thanks also go out to all of our friends who saw us through these difficult times, with special thanks to Judy Parker who made sure that Ginny never missed a Saturday evening Mass. In lieu of flowers please consider a donation to the Ming Twig, care of Rome Memorial Hospital.
Always the science buff, Ginny could not let an event of nature pass us by, and she was intent on making sure we witnessed all that nature provided. Whether a flower in bloom or a vegetable plant in the garden, the Northern Lights, a good thunderstorm, a meteor shower, or the eerie “singing” of the Lake Delta ice during a cold snap, we all participated to some extent. She would have loved the recent lunar eclipse that occurred just at the time of her passing, as it was beautiful and significant. We have to believe that God was calling her Home.
A Mass of Christian Burial will be celebrated on Tuesday, at 10:00 AM, at St. Joseph’s Church in Lee Center. Burial will be in Evergreen Cemetery.
Relatives and friends may call at Barry Funeral Home, 807 W. Chestnut Street, on Monday from 4 to 7 PM.
Please offer condolences and light a candle at: www.BarryFuneralHome.com