Fifth Generation

111. Evelyn Joyce Bertha "Evie" SMITH was born on 23 February 1923 in Monroe County, WI.^32,47 She appeared in the census in 1930 in Lincoln Township, Monroe County, WI.²³ She graduated in 1942 in Tomah, Tomah Township, Monroe County, WI.⁸⁰ from Tomah High School. Evie died on 17 April 2014 at the age of 91 in Tomah, Tomah Township, Monroe County, WI.⁸¹

Obituary Notes: "Evelyn “Evie” Larrabee, 91, of Tomah died Thursday, April 17, 2014, at Close to Home Assisted Living Facility, with her family at her side. Evie was born Feb. 20, 1923, at Warrens, Lincoln Township, the daughter of August and Anna (Goetzka) Pergande.

She attended Tomah High School graduating in 1942. After graduating, Evie left the Tomah area for a short period of time to work in Rockford, Ill., Cleveland and Toledo, Ohio, Florida, only to end her travels in California. She was married to the love of her life, Raymond “Red” Larrabee, in a candle light ceremony, at Bethany Lutheran Church, San Jose, Calif., on Feb. 20,1946. They returned to Tomah in 1947 where they raised three daughters.

Evie was a wife and mother until returning to work at Keene’s Transfer and VanPak Plastics in Tomah. She was a dedicated member of St. Paul’s Lutheran Church where she served on the Ladies Aid and Mission Circles for many years. She was a life member and past treasurer of the Ladies Auxiliary of the Curtiss-McNutt VFW Post #1382 and a Ladies Auxiliary lifetime member of the American Legion Post #201. Evie was an active volunteer, dedicated loving wife during her husband’s extended illness and was always prepared with homemade cookies or cakes. No one ever went away hungry from one of her family or holiday meals. There was always enough food and room for anyone who might drop in for a meal.

Evie’s love for her family was first and foremost a priority with her. She enjoyed the many visits and phone calls from her grandchildren with Grandma and Grandpa during the summer months or just stopping by to say hello as they brought their own families home to see her. She was a loyal friend and looked forward to the reunions with family and friends. She enjoyed traveling with her sister, Betty, and attending many plays, concerts and shows with friends over the years.

Survivors include three daughters, Sandra (Gary) Garlie of Superior, Wis., Linda Ornes of Montello, Wis., and Susan (John) Aeschlimann of Mazomanie, Wis.; four grandchildren, David (Maria) Garlie of Eau Claire, Wis., Dawn (Fred) Paine of Superior, Wis., Mathew (Kris) Aeschlimann of Mount Horeb, Wis., and Jeffrey (Malita Williams) of Arena, Wis.; 10 great-grandchildren, Garin and Gracen Garlie of Eau Claire, Wis., Bailey, Hunter, Brooklyn and Rocco Paine of Superior, Wis., Owen, Aiden, Leah and Logan Aeschlimann of Mount Horeb, Wis.; a sister, Betty Schilhabel of Tomah; and many nieces, nephews, and cousins of Evie and Red.

She was preceded in death by her husband of 62 years, Raymond “Red” Larrabee; her parents, August and Anna Pergande; a brother, Glen Pergande; and a brother-in-law, Bill Schilhabel. Funeral services will be 11 a.m. today at St Paul’s Lutheran Church, 525 Superior Ave., Tomah, with Pastor Donald Buch officiating. Burial will be in Warren Mills Cemetery, Warrens, Wis."

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Evelyn Joyce Bertha "Evie" SMITH and Raymond Keith "Red" LARRABEE were married on 20 February 1946 in San Jose, Santa Clara County, CA.⁸² Raymond Keith "Red" LARRABEE, son of Lawrence James LARRABEE and Grace Bananuel WATERMAN, was born on 17 February 1920 in New Lisbon, Juneau County, WI.^21,23,82 He appeared in the census in 1930 in Tomah, Tomah Township, Monroe County, WI.²³ He graduated in 1938 in Tomah, Tomah Township, Monroe County, WI. from Tomah High School. Red died on 13 February 2008 at the age of 87 in Sparta, Sparta Township, Monroe County, WI.²¹

Obituary Notes: "The United States has lost another WWII veteran. Raymond “Red” Keith Larrabee, 87, of Tomah, died Wednesday, Feb. 13, 2008, at Rolling Hills Nursing Home, Sparta, WI, after an extended illness, with his family at his side.

Red was born Feb. 17, 1920, at New Lisbon, the son of Lawrence J. and Grace (Waterman) Larrabee. He attended Tomah High School and graduated in 1938 where he was an accomplished athlete in football, basketball and baseball. After graduating from high school, he was mustered into the National Guard of the United States, Co. D. 107th Quartermaster Truck C. and shipped to Camp Beauregard, LA, for training. In May 1942, he was shipped overseas to New Zealand for combat against the Japanese army during WWII. His places of duty included the Fiji Islands, Green Island, New Caledonia, Bouganville Island and the Northern Solomon Islands, which was one of the forces serving in the South Pacific under Gen. Douglas McArthur.

He was married to Evelyn Smith, Feb. 20, 1946, at Bethany Lutheran Church, San Jose, CA. They returned to Tomah in 1947, where they raised three daughters.

Red worked at the Tomah Post Office until retiring as an Assistant Postmaster after 32 years of service. He was a member of St. Paul’s Lutheran Church, where he served on the council and sang in the choir for many years. He was a Past Commander and life member of Curtiss-McNutt VFW Post #1382 and a lifetime member of Grassman-Sowle-Larsen-Senz American Legion Post #201. Red was an active volunteer and held many offices for organizations such as the Warren Mills Cemetery, where he proudly served as president.

His love for his family was first and foremost a priority with him. He supported his daughters in all their life’s adventures. Red enjoyed attending his grandchildren’s athletic events and was their most dedicated fan and sideline coach. He enjoyed teaching them his love for hunting and fishing. Many summer visits to Grandma and Grandpa’s included fishing trips to Lake Tomah.

He was a loyal friend and looked forward to the reunions with his classmates and Army buddies.

Survivors include his wife of 62 years, Evelyn; three daughters, Sandra (Gary) Garlie of Superior, Linda Ornes of Montello, and Susan (John) Aeschlimann of Mazomanie; four grandchildren, David (Maria) Garlie of Eau Claire, Dawn (Fred) Paine of Superior, Mathew (Kris) Aeschlimann of Mount Horeb, and Jeffrey Aeschlimann of Madison; six great-grandchildren, Bailey, Hunter, Brooklyn Paine of Superior, Garin and Gracen Garlie of Eau Claire, and Owen Aeschlimann of Mount Horeb; one brother, Harold Larrabee of Tomah; a sister Beverly Davis of Sparta; sisters-in-law, Betty Schilhabel of Tomah, and Marge Larrabee of Phoenix, AZ, and many nieces and nephews.

He was preceded in death by his parents, Lawrence and Grace Larrabee; four brothers, Lawrence, Frank, Ernest and Ralph; three sisters, Maude Linder, Edith Krause and Marie Day; five brother-in-laws, Walt Linder, Harry Day, Richard Krause, Glen Pergande and Bill Schilhabel; two sisters-in-law, Pat Larrabee and Gertrude Larrabee .

Funeral services will be on Saturday, Feb. 16, at 10:30 a.m. at St Paul’s Evangelical Lutheran Church, 525 Superior Ave. Pastor Donald Buch will officiate. Burial will be at the Warren Mills Cemetery, Warrens, with military honors by Curtiss-McNutt VFW Post #1382."
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Evelyn Joyce Bertha "Evie" SMITH and Raymond Keith "Red" LARRABEE had the following children: