Meinhardt "Coroner of Oz" Frank Raabe

Meinhardt Frank Raabe, 94, of Penney Farms Retirement Community passed away peacefully at the center on Friday, April 9th, 2010. Meinhardt Raabe was perhaps best known for his role as "Coroner" in the 1939 MGM movie, "The Wizard of Oz". He had many accomplishments in his life to include Clay County Master Gardner degree, Oscar Mayer's spokesman, "Little Oscar", for more than 30 years and the first to ride in the original Weinermobile, Masters Degree in Accounting, pilot/ground instructor during WW II for Civil Air Patrol, co-author of "Memories of A Munchkin" and assistant in special education classes in Philadelphia schools. He even at times, taught German classes. His love in the past 20+ years, was traveling around the United States to various Wizard of Oz Festivals with his other Munchkin family. Raabe was born into a family of German dairy farmers in Watertown, Wisconsin on September 2, 1915 to Henry and Eleonora Raabe. He is survived by one sister, Marion Ziegelmann of Watertown, Wisconsin. Cremation arrangements are under the direction of Broadus-Raines Funeral Home in Green Cove Springs, Florida. His ashes will be sent to Hafemeister Funeral Home in Watertown, Wisconsin. He will lay to rest next to his wife, Marie Raabe, in the Immanuel Evangelical Lutheran Church Cemetery, Johnson Creek, Jefferson County, Farmington Township, Wisconsin. A Memorial Service will be held in Clay County at Cross+Road Lutheran Church, 5101 Lakeshore Drive West (off CR220, near Whitey's Fish Camp) in Fleming Island, Florida on Saturday, April 17th, 2010 at 10:30 am. In lieu of flowers, his friend and travel companion, Cindy Bosnyak, asks that donations be made in his honor for a memorial site at Penney Farms Retirement Community, 3497 Caroline Blvd, Penney Farms, Florida 32079. He will be missed by many from around the world.