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05/09/2012 - True Elene (Drake) Rickenbach
Funeral services for True Elene (Drake) Rickenbach, age 92, will be Wednesday, May 9, 2012 at 2:00 PM at the Fall River Country, SD Prairie View United Methodist Church.
Visitation will be Tuesday, May 8, 2012 from 5-7:00 PM at McColley’s Chapel of the Hills in Hot Springs.
A memorial has been established for the Prairie View UMC, where True was the longest serving member, and/or the Chadron Community Hospital Home Hospice, who provided comfort care during True’s final days. Memorials may be sent to McColley’s Chapel of the Hills, PO Box 812, Hot Springs, SD 57747.
Written condolences may be made at www.mccolleyschapels.com.
True Elene Drake was born on June 25, 1919. She was the second eldest of six children born to Clarence and Glenn Drake. The Drakes settled in Oelrichs, SD, where True attended school, and where she met the Rickenbach family. The younger Rickenbach sisters thought she was something special. Elsie still relates stories of how much she and her sister Velma adored True. Not only did the sisters think True was special, but the oldest brother, Max Levi, did as well and they were married on September 26, 1937.
Max and True eventually settled on a ranch northeast of Oelrichs where they raised three children: Richard Max, Anita Louise, and Robert Levi. She was recently asked what her life goal was and responded, “all I ever wanted was to make my kids happy.” Her children attest she not only achieved her goal, but exceeded it! Another goal she had was to be the oldest Drake family member, which she claimed she achieved. Her sister, Shirley, may argue that the outcome is not yet clear.
True was always a positive person and a fighter. This allowed her to be a cancer survivor not once, not twice, but three times. It also resulted in her being loved and respected, not only by her family, but also her friends and neighbors. As she aged and became more reflective, she enjoyed relating stories about her life, especially stories about her family. These stories nearly always had a positive outcome. Recently, when asked about these memories, True mischievously responded, “my memories are special, and I know sometimes I have twisted the outcome.”
If you were to take a poll of the family as to her single largest achievement, it would be her BUTTERSCOTCH PIE. Several in the family have tried for years to duplicate it, and some will swear they have, but they may be “twisting the outcome.” There are also some in the family who believe her apple pies were even better.
True continued to reside on the Rickenbach ranch after her husband, Max, passed away on July 21, 1993. In 2008 she moved to Prairie Pines in Chadron, NE, where she sang the praises of the assisted living staff. On Friday, April 27, 2012 she entered home hospice care and passed away on Saturday, May 5, 2012.
She was preceded in death by her husband, Max, grandson, Troy Rickenbach, and four siblings.
Immediate Survivors:
Children: Richard (Marilynne) Rickenbach of Eden Prairie, MN; Anita (Pat) Gilkey of Oelrichs, SD; Robert (Sharon) Rickenbach of Chadron, NE.
Sister: Shirley (Jerry) Hartman
Grandchildren: 7
Great-Grandchildren: 14 McColley’s Chapel of the Hills in Hot Springs, SD is in charge of arrangements.
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