August Dabel Dies at Home
August Dabel, 84, retired dairy manufacturer and theatre owner, died at his home in Afton at 12:45 p.m. Sunday, June 13. Mr Dabel underwent a serious stomach operation approximately two years ago from which he never fully recovered.
Funeral services were held in the Afton South Ward LDS Chapel Wednesday at 1 p.m. with Bishop J. Wilford Moser, officiating. Prayer at the home was offered by Bishop Osborne Low.
Prelude and postlude music was played by Mrs Wesley Maughan, with the opening prayer by Neal Kennington. The obituary was read by Edward Knutti.
Speakers for the services were Fred Weber and LaVere Johns with remarks by Dr. S.h. Worthen and Bishop Moser.
Vocal duets were presented by Pearl and Roxie Dabel, who sang "Silver Haired Daddy of Mine" and Gerald and Don Windley who sang "The Lord's Prayer".
Closing prayer was given by Bishop Harold R, Papworth and
On April 13, 1906 he was married to Miss Sarah Isabell Snyder. Bishop Osborne Low officiated. To this union 16 children were born, ten sons and six daughters, 14 of whom are still living.
In early September of 1909, Mr Dabel took his family through the Logan Temple.
Shortly after his second marriage, he left the Roberts Creamery and moved to Soda spring, Idaho, where he took over the management of a small butter factory for about a year. At the end of that time he decided the West held nothing of interest to him so he had his furniture packed and crated ready for shipment back to Wisconsin. The Burton brothers of Afton finally convinced him he should return to the valley and take over the management of their new creamery in Freedom. This he did from 1907 to 1925.
Mr Dabel was a great lover of horses and raised and sold many fine teams during his years in Freedom.
In 1915 he bought a 60 acre farm just north of the Freedom Creamery and continued to operate the farm along with his creamery work until 1920. At that time he sold his small farm and purchased the Bishop Bracken farm about one quarter mile north of Freedom. In the fall of 1925, he sold out to his son-in-law, Fred Weber. He then moved to Afton where he worked a short time at the Burton Creamery. At this time he quit creamery work and went into the motion picture business for himself, after purchasing the American Theatre in Afton from Mr Dell Gardner. He continued to operate this business in Afton until 1935, when he sold out to C.S. Wray.
Having show business in his blood by this time, he couldn't giv it up so in the fall of the same year, he started to build a new theatre in Thayne. It was completed in the spring of 1936. This business has always been known as the American Theatre. In 1946, Mr Dabel sold his theatre to two of his sons, Marvin and Cecil and led a retired life until his death.
Following is Mr Dabel's life history as written by his eldest son, William.
MY FATHER'S LIFE HISTORY
by William Dabel
August Dabel was born in Woffeisdorf, Germany, June 29, 1869. Received most of his schooling in Germany. came to the United States with his father and mother when just a boy of 13 years of age. They settled at Vernon, Wisconsin, County of Waukesha and began their new life there farming. As the family grew larger, it was soon discovered the small farm his parents had purchased could not supply a living for the entire family so young August hired out to neighboring farmers for a wage of $9 a month. At that time this was top wages for a young man of his age.
At the age of 22, Mr Dabel took up the trade of butter and cheese maker. This trade he followed for the next 33 years. For a number of years he operated and managed the Wisconsin Butter and Cheese Co., at Vernon, Wisconsin. Later he took over and managed a creamery for the George Harris Creamery Company of Waukesha, Wisconsin in Waukesha County.
In June of 1897, he was married to Mrs Mary Beattle Brown, who at that time had two small daughters, Stella and Hazel. To this union were born three children, Grace, Bill and Alice. Both little girls died in infancy.
In the summer of 1903, Mr Dabel was recommended to Thomas H. Roberts of Afton, as a butter and cheese maker by his brother-in-law, John C. Wollenzien and in September of that year he arrived in Afton with his family to take over the management of the Roberts Creamery, located far west on Nield String.
On November 4, 1904, Mrs Dabel passed away of pneumonia and childbirth.
On March 1, 1905, Mr Dabel became a member of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints and was baptized by Bishop Osborne Low and confirmed March 5, 1905.

Dabel, August 13 Jun 1954)Star Valley Independent

August DABEL is the son Ludwig Wilhelm DABEL and Wilhelmina Dorothea GARNATZ
August DABEL married Sarah Isabell SNYDER 13 Apr 1905 in Afton, Lincoln, Wy
Mary Elizabeth BEATTIE 4 Jun 1898 in Waukesha, Waukesha, Wi