Rubin Fabrizius

Rubin Fabrizius was born June 9, 1921 to John and Anna Elizabeth (Fabrizius) Fabrizius on the family homestead in rural Trego County. He died March 4, 2014 at Hays Medical Center, Hays, Kansas at the age of 92. Rubin attended Trego Center School and graduated from Trego Community High School with the class of 1940. He was a lifelong member of Zion Lutheran Church, Trego Center; baptized June 24,1921 and confirmed March 21, 1937. He married Ella M Deines at Zion, October 12, 1941 and they began their family and farming/ranching operation. He received his draft notice in February of 1942 and was inducted into the United States Army October 28, 1942 in Leavenworth, Kansas. Rubin served in the Eastern Mandates, Central Pacific and Ryukyus Campaigns as a Chauffer and held Rifle, Infantryman, Driver and Mechanic qualifications. The majority of his military career was served at Pearl Harbor, landing there December 7, 1942, exactly 1 year after it was bombed, where troops were still cleaning up extensive damage. Near the end of WWII, Rubin was stationed in Okinawa undergoing radio communications training in preparation for the invasion of Japan. Instead, the bombs were dropped on Nagasaki and Hiroshima and the military began returning troops home. He earned Good Conduct and Asiatic Pacific Service Medals and was honorably discharged October 7, 1945 at Fort Logan, Colorado. Upon returning home to Trego County, Rubin & Ella spent the next 57 years farming and ranching together south of WaKeeney until his retirement in 2002. Those years were filled with work, family and worship. Rubin taught junior high Sunday School classes at Zion for many years while singing tenor in the choir and serving many terms as a church councilman. He was a member of the VFW and Society of Germans from Russia, Farm Bureau, United Farmers Organization and served on both the Trego County Coop and Conservation boards. Rubin had a passion for agriculture, exhibiting stewardship by terracing his farm ground and was among the early Trego County recipients to be awarded the Banker’s Soil & Water Conservation honor in 1960. In 1975 he received the Goodyear award for outstanding accomplishments in Conservation and the Kansas Banker’s award for windbreak in 1989. Rubin loved music and was constantly singing while he worked. He loved animals, primarily cattle and horses, always having either a dog at his side or a cat on his shoulder. He was active in the education process, serving many years as a board member while USD 208 was consolidating. Rubin enjoyed excellent physical health for many years, loved softball, and always participated in the family ball games played at holiday gatherings. He was quite athletic even though he wasn’t allowed to participate in high school athletics, he loved watching his children and grandchildren participate in various sporting and musical activities. Rubin was known for his friendliness and enjoyed greeting others as he conducted his personal business and commerce around town. He valued his German heritage, language, church and most of all cherished his wife, Ella and children. He was a generous and dedicated husband and provider, father, father-in-law, grandfather, great grandfather and great great grandfather, and he leaves countless beautiful memories of a long life, well lived, and will be greatly missed. Rubin was preceded in death by his parents, infant daughter Mary Jane, brother Albert, infant sisters Carolina and Alvena, sisters Tabea Dietz, Helen Deines and LuElla Waddell, granddaughter Julie Fabrizius-Clerihue, Grandson Matthew Fabrizius and daughter-in-law Connie Fabrizius. Rubin is survived by his wife of the home, five sons, Ruben (Gene) and wife Judy, John, Paul, Curt, Carl & wife Sarah, and two daughters Ruth Tinkler & husband Delton, and Sara Sherwood, all of Trego County; brother-in-law Paul Deines of WaKeeney; 18 grandchildren, Rebecca Karlin and husband Mark, Andrea Fabrizius and Andrew Fabrizius, Heather Tuttle, Heidi Tuttle & friend Andrew, Holly Decker & husband Travis, Jeremiah Tuttle, Emily Keen & husband Chris, Tracy Braun & husband Travis, Tyler Fabrizius & friend Kyra Turley, Olivia Fabrizius, Amelia Fabrizius, Isaiah Fabrizius, Joshua Sherwood & wife Amber, Summer Sherwood & fianc? Yuri, Rubin Sherwood, Eli Sherwood, Ella Sherwood; 21 great-grandchildren Candace Karlin, Madison Karlin, Amani Fabrizius, Kristian Tuttle, Madeleine Tuttle & fianc? Justin, Mollie Buchholz, Ashton, Liberty & Bo Decker, Camrie Tuttle, Dru, Ellie & Jace Keen, Colton Braun, Hugh Turley and Adell Fabrizus, Tia, Rylee & Brayden Sherwood, Acelyn & Promise Robert, one great-great-grandson Maxuim Daniels; and many nieces and nephews.