Elma A. Gabell

Elma Annette Gabell, at 91 years young, passed away at the Cedar Crest Retirement Community in Janesville, Wisconsin on May 4, 2026. She was born on October 2, 1934, in Blair, Washington County, Nebraska, and was the daughter of Paul A.J. and Charlotte Koenig.
Her education began in a one room schoolhouse near her parents’ farm in south Washington County where she was on the Honor Roll through 8th grade. When her parents and brother, Robert, moved to Omaha, she entered Benson High School as an 11-year-old freshman. She graduated in 1950 at the age of 15, along with her brother.
Elma attended a secretarial school, which led to working at the National Indemnity Insurance Company in Omaha, Nebraska. In 1953, she married Barton Thompson, an Omaha native, and had her first child, Michael, with him in 1954, and later daughters Kristine (1958) and Deanna (1962). In 1969, she and Barton were divorced.
A few years later, Elma met and began dating Frank Gabell, a Campbell Soup Company employee, and they were married in 1973. Frank, Elma and her two daughters were transferred by Campbells to the Chicago area in 1974, where Elma became an adjustor at Prudential Insurance Company. In 1976, Elma’s middle daughter, Kristine, was married to Brent Mikkelsen.
Elma and Frank’s next Campbell’s move was to Sacramento, California, with Elma’s youngest daughter, Deanna. There she worked for a Sacramento vehicle leasing company. From there, Campbells transferred Elma and Frank cross-country to Wyomissing, Pennsylvania, and this time they left Deanna behind to attend college. While there, Elma found administrative work at Clover Farms Dairy, and she also performed volunteer work assisting with vaccination drives, library book drives, and contributed to and assisted with retirement home events.
After a move to Voorhees, New Jersey, Frank finished his time at the Campbells Corporate Offices, and he and Elma then moved back to Reading, Pennsylvania where Frank worked a little longer before retiring.
During all their moves, Elma enjoyed playing tennis, quilting and making Christmas stockings for all her and Frank’s children, grandchildren, and great-grandchildren, painting still life scenes and snowmen gift boxes, baking (especially cookies at Christmas), travelling and taking cruises, vacationing at their Avalon, New Jersey shore house with family and friends, and being with their children, stepchildren, and their families. In 2022, Elma and Frank moved to Janesville, Wisconsin to be closer to her daughters and their families, and to help with Frank’s health issues.
Elma is survived by husband Frank C. Gabell; children MSgt Michael Thompson (USAF, Ret.), Kristine (Brent) Mikkelsen, and Deanna Schackleford (Randy Knudsen), grandchildren Robert (Kelly), Erik (Jessica), and Karl Mikkelsen, 6 great-grandchildren, and brother Robert Koenig. She also has six stepchildren and their families with husband Frank.
She was preceded in death by her parents and brother, Paul H. Koenig.

Service times are pending.

In lieu of flowers, please donate to the American Red Cross.
We’d like to thank the SCHNEIDER FUNERAL DIRECTORS, Janesville, Wisconsin, and BRAMAN MORTUARY & CREMATION SERVICES and MILACEK MONUMENTS, Omaha, Nebraska, for their assistance to the family.
For online condolences and guestbook, please visit:
Schneider Funeral Directors (https://www.schneiderfuneraldirectors.com),
Omaha World Herard (https://omaha.com/newsletter-templates/obituaries/),
Braman Mortuary (https://www.bramanmortuary.com/obituaries).
A very special thanks to the staff of CEDAR CREST RETIREMENT COMMUNITY, Janesville, Wisconsin, for their help, support, and kindness during our mom’s final days.