Janice Meineke Rabe

My father, Arthur Meineke, was born in Adams Township, Defiance County, in 1909, to August and Anna Backhaus, Meineke. They lived on a farm near the church to which they belonged, St. Mark's Lutheran on the west ridge. My father was the oldest of eight children and attended Ridgeville High School. My grandmother, Anna Meineke Badenhop, lives in Napoleon.

Standing, left to right: Otto, Herman, William and George Rabe; seated: Emma Meyer, Anna Koppenhofer.

In 1932, the Rev. George Kaiser married my father and my mother Hilda Gerken, whose parents were William J. and Helen Joost, Gerken. The Gerken home was on the Flory Road in Defiance County and they were members of Bethlehem Lutheran Church, Okolona. My mother, born in 1908, was fourth in a family of seven children and graduated from Jewell High School.

After their marriage, my parents lived on the Henry Aschemeier farm on Allen Road in Adams Township, Defiance County, and were members of St. Mark's Lutheran Church. I was born in 1937, and nearly two years later, my sister, Margaret, was born.

In 1942, our family moved to the John Ashbacher farm a half mile east of Florida in Henry County on what was then State Route 24 and we attended St. Peter's Lutheran Church.

My father was killed in a farm tractor accident in 1948, and in December of that year, my mother, sister, and I moved to Okolona where my mother was employed as the telephone switchboard operator from March 1949, until March 1958. She then moved to a farm on Road M2 with her husband, Richard Drewes, whom she had married in December, 1957. Richard died in 1965, and my mother still resides on the same farm.

Margaret and I both graduated from Florida Local High School and she continued on to Warners Beauty College in Ft. Wayne, Indiana. In 1957, she married Gary Smith.

After my graduation, I was employed in the Clerk of Courts Office in the Henry County Court House. In 1956, I married Marvin K. Rabe in Bethlehem Lutheran Church, Okolona. Rev. Clarence Steinert officiated.

Marvin's parents are Alfred G. and Pauline Meyer, Rabe. Alfred, born in 1909, is the oldest child of George and Frieda Meyer Rabe. They resided on a farm near Hamler and were members of Hope Lutheran Church. After graduation from Hamler High School, Alfred continued his education at Universal Institute in Ft. Wayne, Indiana.

Pauline, born in 1910, is the youngest of four children born to Karl and Mary Gerken, Meyer. They lived on a farm just outside of Gerald and were members of St. John's Lutheran Church. She attended St. John's Parochial School and later worked in the Cash Quality Store in Napoleon.

After my husband's parents were married in 1931, by Pastor Gustav Thunn in St. John's Lutheran Church, they lived for two years in Napoleon, where my father-in-law worked forthe Napoleon State Bank. In 1933, they moved to Okolona where he was employed by the Okolona Grain Co. as bookkeeper. He was appointed Postmaster in 1938, and served in both positions until his retirement in 1973. They are members of Bethlehem Lutheran Church.

Four children were born to my husband's parents: Lois Jean, married to Harold C. Gerken of Hamler in 1954; my husband, Marvin; Janice, married to Dale Logan of R. R. Leipsic in 1965; anu Karen, married to Keith Peglar, Portsmouth, England in 1974. All four are graduates of Florida Local High School and the latter three, alumni of Bowling Green State University.

After our marriage, Marvin and I moved to Toledo where he was employed as a public accountant by Ernst and Ernst.

In 1957, our twins, Jennifer Lynn and Jeffrey Lee were born. In 1958, we moved to Waterville, Ohio, and later that same year, our youngest son, Randal Jay, was born.

Our children attended Waterville Elementary School and later Fallen Timbers Middle School. We were members of Zion Lutheran Church in Waterville for eleven years.

In 1968, my husband accepted a position with First Federal Savings and Loan Association of Defiance and in June, 1969, we moved to a home built on property acquired from Myron and Pauline Emmel at the corner of Roads 17C and M.

Our children then attended Florida and Central Schools and Napoleon High School. Jenny and Jeff graduated in 1975.

We are now members of Emanuel Lutheran Church in Napoleon.

Submitted by Janice Meineke Rabe