Dozens of friends and family members gathered to celebrate the 99th birthday of Alden Rabey at “Top o’ The Hill” last Sunday. It was a cool and breezy afternoon, but Alden enjoyed the gathering for a couple of hours. A highlight for him was seeing his niece, Genevieve, at the party. He hadn’t seen her for many years.
Born in St. Paul, MN, Alden became a lifelong resident of Knife River as a young boy. He was married for 66 years to Vera Rabey, who passed away in 2018. The couple raised five children in Knife River. The Rabey’s had many friends in the community and enjoyed playing card games with their neighbors.
At the age of 15, Alden started working at Bill Kendall’s fish shop in Knife River, where he bunked in the rear of the building. He operated the fish smoker until he joined the Merchant Marine when he came of age during World War II. His early start in the workforce and subsequent service in the war reflect his resilience and determination.
Alden was quite the dancer, played the accordion, and still loves music. Jimmy Madison and Randy Ellestad were the musical entertainment at the festivities on Sunday.
Alden is the last survivor of the 27 Knife River men who went to serve in World War II. In the Merchant Marines, he earned his 3rd Mate’s license and served onboard The Camas Meadows, a T2 fuel tanker, a class of ships built for rapid wartime production. It was built by the Alabama Dry Dock and Shipbuilding Company in Mobile, AL, and put into service in May 1943.
His next duty was on the SS Art Young, a Liberty ship built in the United States during World War II. Like other Liberty ships, its primary purpose was to carry a wide variety of cargo, from military equipment to raw materials, to Allied forces across the globe.
Alden joined the Army and entered combat during the Korean War. He rose to the rank of Sergeant 1st Class. Like many in the greatest generation, Alden never talked much about his service. Only in recent years did he share with his family that in Korea, his unit was followed by a young Korean boy as they moved about the countryside. Alden says that he sometimes wonders what happened to the boy.
After returning to Minnesota, Alden became an engineer on the Duluth, Missabe, and Iron Range Railway (DM&IR), eventually retiring. The railroad’s main lines extended northward from the docks on Lake Superior to serve the various iron mines.
Alden and Vera worked the land. They were avid gardeners, operated a greenhouse, did landscaping, and grew sod for their customers.
Two of Alden’s daughters, Val and Terese, say that he is a loving father. “We had a lot of fun growing up,” Val said. One of her early and fondest memories was when she was a little girl and was racing around on her tricycle barefoot when she jammed a toe. When Alden heard her crying, he ran across the yard, picked her up, and comforted her, calling her his pet name for the kids, Pumpkin.
After retiring, Alden and Vera did some traveling, visiting US destinations and taking several trips to Italy to visit family. Alden always wanted to see the western states, something he and Vera hadn’t done. During the COVID pandemic, he bought himself an RV to make that happen. Alden doesn’t drive anymore, so he asked his kids to go on two trips with him. He visited the Grand Canyon and Hoover Dam. “When he sets his mind to something, he does it,” Val said.
Alden may be the oldest resident of Knife River. All of us at the Northshore Journal extend our congratulations and hope to report again when he becomes a centenarian.
