Richard E. Gabrielson

Richard Gabrielson was a simply amazing man, a man of character, of love and of faith. He lived his life deliberately, with a sense of purpose and full of adventure. He was a loving husband, father and grandfather, who worked hard to care for his loved ones and would sacrifice whatever was necessary to make sure they had what they needed. Richard had a natural social talent that always left people charmed and smiling, and he was a good friend to the many people he knew throughout his life. In 1926, life was good in the United States. Although a revolt in Nicaragua found military troops being sent to help preserve order, Americans were enjoying relative peace and prosperity. World War I was over, and the Great Depression had not yet threatened the U.S. workforce. For Oscar and Ella (Magnuson) Gabrielson of Muskegon, Michigan, the most special event of 1926 was the birth of their son, Richard, on August 27th. Richard was one of three children; he and his brother, Stanley, and sister, Lois, grew up on Larch Avenue and Mona Lake. He attended the Muskegon area schools, and spent much of his leisure time, boating, fishing and camping with his family and participating in Boy Scouts. As a young boy, Richard had to have his arm wired back into place after a bad spill on his bike, leaving him with a sizeable scar as a badge of his bravery. The Gabrielsons were a close-knit family and proud of their Scandinavian heritage. Richards father worked hard as a machinist and small business owner to provide for their family, while his mother stayed home and raised the children. The family was also big adventurers, taking many camping and fishing vacations together. When Richard was 14, his family was on a fishing trip on Lake Superior, which took a drastic turn when they became shipwrecked. Richard graduated from Muskegon High School in 1944. It wasnt long before he received his draft notice from the United States Army and followed the same patriotic calling of other young men of the time. However, while in basic training, Richard developed severe asthma and spent 3 months in an Army hospital before receiving a medical discharge from the military. Once home, Richard went back to school, attending Michigan Technological University in Houghton, Michigan. It was here that he met the love of his life, Isabel Markham, and they soon began dating. Hopelessly in love, the two were happily married on July 5, 1947, in Marquette, Michigan. A year later, Richard earned his Bachelors degree in Mechanical Engineering, and was ready to find a job to support his growing family. He worked in the family business and eventually took over as co-owner and President of Muskegon Screw Works, where he was well-respected and known to care for the welfare of his employees. Richard and Isabel were the proud parents of two children: Scott (1949) and Jane (1952). They raised their children in the Roosevelt Park community in Muskegon, and were active members of St. Pauls Episcopal Church. Richards family was always his first priority. He taught his children the importance of responsibility and working hard, and encouraged them in all their endeavors. His son Scott fondly remembers building kit cars with his Dad, while his daughter Jane treasures the memories from their vacations to the Wisconsin Dells, Bad Lands and Yellowstone, and the great ski weekends at Ward Hills. Even though Richard worked hard to support his family, they always found time to have fun. From snow skiing, sledding, boating and water skiing to road trips, picnics, walks in the woods and church social activities, their passion was to stay active as a family. In 1981, after enjoying a fulfilling career, Richard was finally able to retire and enjoy the relaxation he so greatly deserved. He and his wife began to travel more extensively, exploring places like the Dominican Republic, British Isles, Switzerland, Scandinavia, Spain, Portugal, Mexico, New Zealand and Australia. Closer to home, Richard enjoyed time with his grandchildren, taking mystery trips, walks in the woods, and boating and sailing excursions. They were always there to help him when he built doll houses for his granddaughters too. It was also important to Richard to be active in his community, volunteering at the Tanglewood Senior Center, the Frauenthal Theatre and the Soup Kitchen, and as a member of the Vikings Linne Lodge #57. He remained active in his church, where he served in several capacities, including as the Treasurer and in the Vestry, and also chaired many restoration and church building projects. Of all the wonderful things in Richards life, time spent with his loved ones towered above the rest. They were the ones that he shared his life with, and the ones that he dearly loved. He will be greatly missed. Richard E. Gabrielson, age 84, passed away on Friday, May 13, 2011. He is survived by his son, Scott (Barbara) Gabrielson of Walled Lake; daughter, Jane (Jim) Bagnall of IL; 5 grandchildren, 15 great grandchildren; sister, Lois Kersting of Muskegon; brother, Stanley (Shirley) Gabrielson of FL. He was preceded in death by his wife, Isabel, in 2004. Funeral services will be held on Saturday, May 21, at 11:00 a.m. and visitation 1 hour prior to the service at St. Paul's Episcopal Church with Rev. Dr. Thomas C.H. Scott officiating. Memorial contributions may be made to the St. Paul's Episcopal Church Building Fund or Muskegon Community College Foundation Scholarship Fund. Please visit Richards personal memory page at www.clockfuneralhome.com, where you may share a memory and/or sign his online guest book. Arrangements by Clock Life Story Funeral Home Muskegon.