Ronald Earl Gimbel was born at Roberts, Illinois, on February 3, 1915, the son of Gust and Amanda Gimbel. And he was baptized in the Lutheran Church at Roberts on March 26, 1916.
Thirteen months after his birth his parents moved to Melvin and have lived there ever since, and here is where he was confirmed by Rev. Henry Foelsch on Palm Sunday, April 1, 1928, in a class of ten, consisting of Clarence Brinkman, Elmer Wichmann, Lawrence Ehmen, Emil Kietzman, deceased, Irene Kietzman, Dale, Raymond Kietzman, Lovella Busing Sweeney, Loretta Becker, and Viola Becker.
Here, too, he went to school and graduated.
Ronald was a great lover of baseball, and had ability as a pitcher. He had many friends among the players in surrounding towns.
Ronald was employed before entering the service, with the ordnance company at Wilmington, where he held a position of importance and trust. He resigned to enlist in the service of his country.
He entered the army in March, 1943, was in the 78th Lightning Division where he attained the rank of technical sergeant and platoon leader, and fought at the front for five months, and never had an opportunity to take off his clothes for three months at a stretch. He fell while fighting with General Hodges' army near Aachen, Germany on March 16, 1945, and had by that time attained the age of 29 years, 1 month, and 13 days.
His body since that time was buried at Henri Chapelle in Belgium and now has been brought back home and laid in a permanent resting place in the cemetery at Roberts.
He leaves to mourn his early death, his bereaved parents, one brother, Guy in Melvin; two sisters, Mrs. Elizabeth Towner of Colfax, and Mrs. Minnie Kietzman of Roberts; one niece and eight nephews, and a host of friends.
May the Lord give us grace to be found faithful in our earthly and heavenly calling, and may the consolation from His holy word never depart from the hearts of the bereaved. And may his name be inscribed in the book of life above, as it has been entered on the roll of honor here below.
Our Son
As we sit and we ponder the thoughts in our mind, of the present, the future and past,
There is nothing that hurts us so much we are sure and nothing that seems sure to last
As the thought of the Son, so recently gone, and today our hearts are downcast.
For we loved that Son so recently gone to be with his Maker on High;
And we cherish the memory he has left. But our hearts are as blue as the sky.
Though we remember the words of our Savior who said, It is appointed unto to man "Once to die".
So today we thank God for the son that he loaned, To be with us for such a short while.
May the Angels in Heaven rejoice over him, As he passed o'er life's threshold's short mile;
And may the Angels rejoice when we go to meet him, And may they accept us with a smile.
Funeral Services
Funeral Services were held from the American Lutheran Church in Melvin at 1:30 P.M. on Saturday, January 10, 1948, with the Reverend J. C. Einfalt in charge.
Serving as casket bearers were his close friends, Glenn Schroon, Ralph Buchholz, Delvyn Smith, Delmar Johannsen, and John Boyce of Melvin and Wilfred Colteaux of Roberts, who was inducted into service with Ronald, and was his Buddy in several camps while training.
In charge of the flowers were Mrs. Wilfred Rexroat, Mrs. William Boshell, Mrs. Opal King, Mrs. Irma Dale, Miss Mardella R??, and Miss Betty Timcke.
Music at the service was provided by a quartet composed of Mrs. Emma Rexroat, Miss Mardella Rexroat, Edwin Zeschke, and Eugene Green, accompanied at the organ by Mrs. Eugene Green. Interment was in Lyman Cemetery at Roberts. The members of the Melvin Post No. 6334, Veterans of Foreign Wars, attended the services in a body, and conducted their solemn and impressive funeral rites at the graveside. the flag that draped the casket was presented to the mother of the deceased veteran.
--Roberts Herald. 14 January 1948
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