NESS CITY — Reita Mae Gabel, 73, passed away on June 6 at the Rhode Island Suites in Ransom. Born July 4, 1938, in Marion she was the daughter of George and Lorena Kuhn Bessel. On July 4, 1956 she married Milton “Stubby” Gabel in Oak Harbor, Mich. They were divorced and he later preceded her in death in May of 2002. She worked as a nurses’ aide for many years.
Ms. Gabel was a member of the Sacred Heart Church and its Altar Society, both of Ness City.
Survivors include six sons, Ronnie, Donnie, Terry, and Tim, all of Ness City, Gary of Great Bend, and Kelly Gabel of Oakley; two daughters, Debbie Overocker of Garden City and Sharon Castor of Ness City; one sister, Donna Harper of Phoenix, Ariz.; a brother, Jerry Bessel of Assaria; 19 grandchildren and 23 great-grandchildren. She was preceded in death by two daughters, Brenda Zeller and Theresa Gabel; a granddaughter, Cindy Overocker; and a great-granddaughter, Emma Overocker.
Mass of Christian Burial will be at 10:30 a.m. on Monday at the Sacred Heart Church in Ness City. Burial will follow at the Sacred Heart Cemetery. Rosary at the church will be at 6:30 p.m. on Sunday with the Parish Vigil following at 7 p.m. Friends may call at Fitzgerald Funeral Home from 9 a.m until 9 p.m. on Saturday and from 10 a.m until 4 p.m. on Sunday. Memorial contributions may be given to the Reita Gabel Funeral Fund.

Funeral arrangements provided by
Fitzgerald Funeral Home
P.O. Box 96
Ness City, KS  67560
Great Bend (Kan.) Tribune, June 8, 2012