Gretchen Rau

Frankenmuth, MI

Our dearly beloved Lord God has called to Himself in Heaven the soul of Gretchen Ann Rau.

She passed on September 29, 2026 at the Toni & Trish House in Auburn MI under the care of Hospice at the age of 90.

Gretchen Ann Abbey was born on July 9, 1936 to William & Ruth (Lewis) Abbey in Flint, MI, the middle of five children. Gretchen moved to the Grand Rapids Villa Marie School for girls and graduating from there and Grand Rapids Catholic Central High School in June of 1954. In that year, she moved to the home of her aunt & uncle Miriam & Arnold Krueger in Frankenmuth. It was there that she met and would marry Robert Rau in June of 1955 at St. John’s Lutheran Church.

Before starting their family of 2 sons: Terry Scott (1957) & Thomas Neil (1960); Gretchen was employed in H.R. at Universal Engineering and briefly at Wallace Bronner’s Christmas Wonderland. It was in 1965 that she began her 38-year career at the Frankenmuth News as a clerical reporter, office manager, and writer. Retiring in 2003.

Surviving Gretchen is her sister Nancy Ruth Burrows of Gagetown, MI., sisters-in-law; Maxine Higgins, Sandra (Clifford) Nauss, of Frankenmuth, and a brother-in-law and his wife William & Arleen Rau of AZ, many cousins, nieces, nephews, and extended family members. Also, kind neighbors, longtime friends, former co-workers, and a loving church.

Predeceasing Gretchen was her sister Laura Lee Freed Sugerman, brother Thomas and his wife Marilyn Abbey, brother James Abbey, brothers-in-law William Burrows, Gene Freed, Jerry Rau & his wife Diane, many aunts & uncles and extended family members. Gretchen was also predeceased by her husband Robert on October 26, 2014.

She leaves her two sons: Terry; and grandsons Jonathan & Christopher Rau of Mattawan and Thomas (Ann); of Saginaw Township, granddaughter Abigail of Birch Run, & grandson Evan of Saginaw Township.

Memorial service will take place Friday, October 16, 2026, at 11:00 a.m. at St. John’s Lutheran Church, 1200 E. Genesee, Frankenmuth, Michigan Gretchen’s family will receive visitors at the church from 10:00 a.m. until the time of service. In lieu of flowers: please support St. John’s Ev. Lutheran Church, the Toni & Trish House in Auburn MI, or the Frankenmuth Community Foundation.