Gretchen Rabe, 92, of Iowa Falls, passed away on Friday, March 17, 2023 at the Hansen Family Hospital in Iowa Falls under the care of Care Initiatives Hospice. Funeral services will be 10:30 a.m. on Tuesday, March 21, 2023 at the First United Methodist Church in Iowa Falls with burial in Union Cemetery. Visitation will be an hour before the service at church. In lieu of flowers, memorials can be directed to ECC Foundation, Gordon and Gretchen Rabe Endowed Scholarship or First United Methodist Church. Funeral arrangements are under the guidance of the Surls Funeral Home in Iowa Falls.

Gretchen Henrietta (Tjaden) Rabe was born on September 21, 1930 in Iowa Falls, Iowa to Henry and Margaret (Bosworth) Tjaden. She graduated from the Iowa Falls High School. On March 4, 1951, Gretchen was united in marriage to Gordon Rabe.

Gretchen was active in Gloria White Shrine. She worked as a telephone operator for NW Bell for five years before becoming a stay at home mom, helping some with farming but mostly took care of her family. Then when grandchildren came, she helped take care of them as well. She spent a lot of time going to school events that all her family was in. Gretchen taught Sunday School, was Jr. Sunday School superintendent and secretary of the Ellis United Methodist Church.

Gretchen took great pride in the fact that her and Gordon’s 7 children and all 20 grandchildren all graduated from the Iowa Falls High School. They said it was a school record for that many from one family.

Gretchen is survived by her children Sue (Jeff Buck) Rabe, Jane Hansen, Nancy (Jeff) Lathrop, Joe (Lari) Rabe, Mary Rabe, Gary (Jen) Rabe and Judy (Shawn) Adams, 20 grandchildren and 24 great-grandchildren.

She was preceded in death by her parents, husband Gordon, granddaughter Kristin Taylor, brothers Jack and George Tjaden and sister Molly Rommel.