Geibel

Rita Marion Strobel Geibel of Chicora went to be with the Lord at 7:50 a.m. Wednesday.

Born March 27, 1921, in Butler, she was the daughter of Anthony and Rose Daugherty Strobel.

She served with the 8th and 9th Air Force from 1943 to 1945 during World War II and was stationed in High Wycombe, England. Her medals include the European-African-Middle Eastern Campaign, the American Theater of Operation, the Victory Medal, the Pallas Athene Medal, the Good Conduct Medal, the Medalle de La France Libree Belgium Freedom and the American Order of the French Croix de Guerre.

While in the service, she developed photographs used in aerial reconnaissance. These were later used in relating stories and pictures of the war to various groups, including the AARP Tanglewood and local senior groups, local churches, libraries, Knights of Columbus, YWCA, area schools and colleges, historical societies and the Veterans Affairs Medical Center in Pittsburgh. A member of the Holocaust Memorial interviewed her; and the interview was a component of a film by Steven Spielberg used by nonprofit organizations with worldwide distribution.

Rita's other volunteer activities included providing holiday baskets for veterans, standing Honor Guard for Veterans Day at local schools and interviews with CNN and local newspapers.

In 1960, she organized the girls' softball league in Chicora and raised money for the underprivileged in conjunction with the softball organization. She was on the Fairview Township Park Committee and initiated the Karns City Team Boosters, now the Quarterback Club.

Four albums of her personal picture collection of women veterans stationed at the 8th Air Force Headquarters in High Wycombe were copied for Jimmy Carter's Traveling Museum.

She was a charter member of the Jean E. Parker Post American Legion, Butler. She was active in the National 8th Air Force Historical Society and belonged to the Eastern and Western Division 8th Air Force Pennsylvania Group. She was past commander of Dierken-Ritzert Post American Legion 0642, Chicora. She also was a member of VFW Post 7876, Chicora; the DAV Charter 64, Butler; and Mater Dolorosa Roman Catholic Church, Chicora.

On Aug. 10, 1949, she married Sylvester "Sid" Jacob Geibel. He survives along with two sons, Sidney John and Cindy Geibel of Bolivar, Ohio, and Dennis Charles and Sandy Geibel of Chicora; grandchildren Aimee Geibel, Reid Geibel (Kristin), Courtney Levengood (John) and Heather, Kara, Brittni and Emileigh Geibel; and three great-grandchildren, Logan and Madisyn Levengood and Brady Geibel.

A son, Jeffrey L. Geibel, died in July 1976.

<B>GEIBEL </B>— There will be no visitation. A Mass of Christian burial for Rita Marion Strobel Geibel, who died Wednesday, Jan. 16, 2008, will be celebrated at 10 a.m. Saturday at the St. Paul Roman Catholic Church, 128 N. McKean St. The Rev. David DeWitt, pastor of Mater Dolorosa Roman Catholic Church, Chicora, will officiate. Burial will follow at the Hemphill Cemetery, Chicora.Graveside military honors will be performed by the Chicora VFW and the Chicora American Legion Ceremonial squads.In lieu of flowers, memorial donations may be made to Mater Dolorosa Roman Catholic Church, 409 N. Main St., Chicora, PA 16025.Arrangements are by the <B>Geibel Funeral Home</B>; and information also is available at www.geibelfuneralhome.com.