Charles W. Raab

Dec. 17, 1922 - March 3, 1997

Charles William Raab, 74, died on Monday, March 3, at Valley View Health Care Center, Elkhart, Ind. He was born in Mishawaka, Ind., on Dec. 17, 1922, to Cecilia (Morman) and Albert J. Raab, the youngest of seven children.

He served in the U.S. Army as a staff sergeant in the European Theater and was honorably discharged on March 10, 1945. Among other citations, he was a recipient of the Good Conduct Medal.

Mr. Raab was employed at the Bendix Corporation in the accounts receivable department for 35 years, retiring in 1985. After retirement he served as an active volunteer with children, the elderly and homeless, both in St. Joseph County, Ind., and Vero Beach, Fla., where he resided for several years.

He was much beloved. An article from his Army base newspaper in Germany reported that its WAC unit voted him ''the neatest guy on base.'' This sentiment was echoed by staff at Valley View Health Care Center who admired and lovingly cared for him.

Mr. Raab is survived by his sisters, Charlotte C. Strohm and Angeline Goeller, both of Mishawaka; a brother, Albert John Raab of Vero Beach, Fla., and Edwardsburg, Mich.; a brother-in-law, Erhart Strohm; a sister-in-law, Rose Mary Raab; several nieces, Anna Marie Robinson of Columbus, Ohio, Patricia McIntee and Carolyn Teeter of Mishawaka, Sister Mary Ellen Goeller of Chicago, Ill., Mary Kovatch, Patricia Clark, Nancy Berta and Ethel Seitz of South Bend, and Pamela Lewis of Florence, Ky.; and several nephews, John and Gerald Goeller of Mishawaka, James and William Goeller of Houston, Texas, Robert and Paul Berta of South Bend, Joseph Berta of Charleston, W.Va., Daniel Berta of Elkhart, James Berta and Thomas Trenerry of Granger, Ind., Robert Trenerry of Reno, Nev., John C. Raab of Edwardsburg, and Rev. Ronald Raab, C.S.C., of Burbank, Calif.

Friends may call from 2 to 4 and 6 to 8 p.m. on Wednesday, March 5, at the Thallemer-Goethals Funeral Home, Mishawaka, where a wake service will also be held at 2:45 p.m. on Wednesday.

A funeral Mass will be celebrated at 10 a.m. on Thursday at St. Monica Catholic Church, Mishawaka. Entombment will follow in the Chapel Hill Memorial Gardens Mausoleum, Osceola, Ind.

In lieu of flowers, memorial contributions may be made to the Alzheimer's Association-Northern Indiana Chapter, 919 E. Jefferson Boulevard, South Bend, IN 46617, or to Valley View Health Care Center (Patient Fund), 333 W. Mishawaka Road, Elkhart, IN 46517.