Passenger Trains > Roy Gabriel: End of the Line

From Doug Mosebar, president of the CA Farm Bureau Federation -- This is a sad day for all of us in Farm Bureau and throughout California agriculture.
We learned this morning that Roy Gabriel passed away overnight, in Washington, D.C. He was there with a Farm Bureau group. Roy worked for Farm Bureau for nearly 35 years, except for a short time in the late 1990s when he served as chief deputy director of the state Department of Industrial Relations. He served family farmers and ranchers as Farm Bureau director of labor affairs and as chief operating officer of the Farm Employers Labor Service. Anyone who met Roy, for even a minute, would know he was a passionate advocate for the causes in which he believed. His was a respected voice inside Farm Bureau, in the state Legislature, in Congress, within government agencies and among other agricultural and labor groups.
Roy leaves a big void, not just because of his dedication to Farm Bureau and its members but because of his larger-than-life personality and his infectious enthusiasm. We ask everyone to keep Roy and his family in their thoughts and prayers. Contact: Dave Kranz 916 561 5550.

Note: Roy Gabriel of Sacramento followed the changing role of the passenger train for many years, including participation in train discontinuance hearings for the SP Sacramento Daylight and membership in various rail organizations. He will be missed.

This is a real shocker!! We have known Roy for years through Farm Bureau which my husband's brother, Henry Voss, was president of in the '80's. And of course we always saw him each year at Winterail where we "caught up" on family stuff. Matter of fact, he rode with us in the Pony Express car of the UP steam special over Donner in '99 to Railfair.
We are very saddened by this. This is a great loss to Farm Bureau as well as our railfan community. Our thoughts and prayers are with his family.
C.

Carol Voss
Bakersfield, CA

Hi Everyone:

As some on this forum know, I was a close friend of Roy for many years and yesterday, received a phone call from his youngest son Christopher on my home phone and picked it up on my cell phone since I was not home and when Christopher answered when I called back, I immediately asked: "What's wrong?" And then after asking me if I was sitting down, told me the shocking and sad news.

Roy was a pallbearer at my mother's funeral many years ago, and I attended his father's funeral some years ago after he had passed away.

I know or knew most of his immediate family including all of his kids.

Up to a few years ago, I helped out at his railroadiana show in Sacramento,

I was on the phone to some of those on this forum from yesterday afternoon until this morning to give them the news personally.

I am still upset at the news as you can understand, and I want to thank reindeerflame for posting the announcement from the California Farm Bureau.

ken15

I met Roy Gabriel as a teen ager in Fullerton..His dad, John, was the owner of Crystal Ice Co...They had the contract to ice the REX reefers of strawberrys that were added to the rear of #124 to Barstow. Roy would visit the depot with his friend, Ken Ruben, and I would always give
them Santa Fe scratch pads, pencils and any Santa Fe advertising
literature..I also planned the family rail trips..During this period
of time he called me his 'railroad mentor'..

Our Kind thought to the Family..Bob and Laura Drenk

What a shock. Have known Roy a number of years participating in his annual Sacramento and San Jose collector shows for the SP Historical Society. Will miss seeing him at Winterail also. My thoughts and prayers to his family at this most difficult time.

That hits pretty close to home. One of the nicest guys I've met, he always seemed to be smiling.
My condolences to his family and close friends.


TCS

Gosh, this really shook me up and I'm greatly saddened to hear this news. Roy was on the PLA trip to Cuba and we got to know each other quite well over the 9 days we were there. I'll never forget his excitement at running the Hershey steeplecab--he even wore the motorman's hat!
As stated earlier, Roy's swap show was something I looked forward to, and he even bought one of my DVD's of Cuba that I sold in 2006. He was always very generous in spirit--a kind man who looked comfortable with longish hair, trademark jeans and cowboy boots.
To Roy's family and friends, I offer my deepest sympathy and condolences.

Mark Jones

Mark, tell more more on your Cuba DVD, off site, using the message site.

Roy Gabriel was a fantastic individual. A longtime member of the Board of Directors of the Western Railway Museum at Rio Vista Junction, CA as well.
And because of him, railfans had two great collector shows to attend each year, in which to sell their wares... He will be missed but not forgotten. When I produced my "Sacramento Northern" DVD earlier this year, the last several minutes of the video covers the NRHS trip on the Woodland and Holland branches of the SN in 1993. Most of the members are sitting down in the open-air tour car-- NOT Roy.. There he is, his constant smile denoting he was enjoying himself, standing on the wood deck, above the coupler, of the Yolo Shortline caboose---
holding onto the ladder, as he swayed back and forth, as we rolled along the now abandoned and ripped up Holland Branch of the SN--- what would be his final trip on the one time Interurban line. May God rest his soul!!

"Key Route Ken"...

Good Evening, All,
This is Ruth, Roy's Wife. Roy and I had a very deep love and connection that will never end. His untimely death has been a terrible shock to me, as well as to his children and their mother, and, of course, all those who knew him -- co-workers, legislators, lobbyists, railfans, close friends. There truly are no words that can express the sorrow and pain we now feel. I only know that Roy has already blown a train whistle or two in Heaven.

Roy and I have been commuting between Sacramento and Lakeway, Texas, since we married in April 2002. Five and a-half years are not enough time to spend with the love of one's life.

Roy and I attended the NRHS National Convention together when it was held at the Grand Canyon, traveling from Union Station in LA to Williams, AZ. We also traveled to Cuba with the PLA in early 2003, which was a life-long dream come true for him. He road some very rare rail miles, sat on the top of a steam engine, got to engineer one at a sugar mill, which if memory serves me correctly, had 3 different sizes of rail gauge, road the Cuban Hershey Line and got to blow the whistle at a cow that just wouldn't be moved off the tracks. He was truly in his element. In 2004, I surprised him with a birthday gift train trip to Portland, Oregon, where we visited downtown Portland, road the light rail and the downtown, stayed in the Columbia Gorge Hotel, took the Mount Hood round trip scenic tour, ate a romantic dinner on their night train, and chased trains from the Oregon border crossing over to the Washington border and back. Another life-long dream comes true. This December, 2006 -- New Year's Eve weekend -- we went to Santa Fe, New Mexico, where we road the Santa Fe Railway train. We did not make it to Lamy due to the unexpected snow storm, but made it to El Dorado. What a beautiful site to see all that pristine snow and brightness from a vantage point that most people never see. We did many things together, and each time I see a train, which I never paid much attention to before we met, I will always remember him.

Roy had a wonderful mind and great compassionate heart. As was his habit, telephone numbers or e-mail addresses were not written in an address book, of a sort; just in the address book of his memory. If there are folks that you know Roy knew, would you let me know so that I can either e-mail them, or phone them.

I will be receiving all of Roy's mail at our Texas address. That address is 218-B Sailmaster Street, Lakeway, TX 78734. If you wish to contact me, I can be reached at the home phone:(512) 261-1802, or my cell phone: (512) 657-8381. My e-mail address is tarnedlog@aol.com.

Thank you all for your support and sharing your memories of Roy.

Sincerely,
Ruth Gabriel