Nancy Ann Rabe

Nancy was born on July 25th, 1924, in Highland Park, Michigan to Berenice and Norman Thomssen. She graduated from the University of Michigan (GO BLUE) where she met her husband Robert Rabe, they were married in 1946 and moved to South Carolina where Bob taught civil engineering at Clemson University. There Nancy and Bob had their first child Norman in 1949. Following Bob’s next job opportunity, they ended up in Juneau, Alaska where their second son Brian was born in 1952. They moved a few years later to Middleton, Wisconsin where their third son Dan was born in 1959.

In 1959 Bob would take a job with the Arizona Highway Department and Arizona is where Nancy would spend the rest of her life raising her family. Her greatest joys were raising her three sons and exploring the Arizona countryside. She taught 7th and 2nd graders for 20 years in the Washington Elementary School District. Nancy was an active member of Bethany Presbyterian Church where she taught Sunday school. She was a long-time docent at Rossen House in downtown Phoenix where she loved to give historical tours. Nancy was also a past member of the P.T.O. Sisterhood.

Nancy and Bob loved to travel the world. From Europe to Japan, China to Russia they enjoyed each others company, exploring new places with friends. Nancy was avid bridge player, rockhound, golfer and loved to read an entire novel in an afternoon. She enjoyed her family, friends, and grandchildren.

Nancy was preceded in death by her husband Bob, her son Norman, her parents, and her sister Ellen Jane. She is survived by her two son’s Brian and Dan; her two daughters-in-law Felicity and Cindy; and her four grandchildren; Dwight, Roger, Matt, and Lauren.

In addition, Nancy will be remembered by many of her former students from Ocotillo and Richard E. Miller schools. Memorial Service is to be determined at a later date. She will be buried next to her husband at Phoenix Memorial Park.