A transcription of pages 195-469,
Family Histories from the Verdigre Centennial Book
Thanks to the Verdigre Library and its volunteers for making this available.
 
The index below only includes the husband and wife for each family.
The maiden name for the wife is used if listed.
For other names, use the search on the Home Page.

Index's A-I, J-P, & Q-Z

DR. JEROME AND MADELYN RAKOC

The family of Dr. Jerome and Madelyn Rakov came to live and practice in Verdigre on August 15, 1971. Accompanying them was their daughter, Elizabeth, age 14 years.

Their oldest son, Howard remained in the New York area to continue the practice of dentistry that his father was transferring to him. The younger son, or the “middle child,” Henry was serving as a hospital administrator at St. Luke’s Hospital in New York City.

[Dr. and Mrs. Jerome Rakov and Elizabeth [Igreheart]

Elizabeth entered Verdigre High School that August as a freshman and graduated with the Class of 1975 as the salutatorian. Among other honors received while a student at Verdigre High, Elizabeth won first place in the State of Nebraska Speech Contest. She was also named to “Who’s Who in High School Students.” During her four years as a student here, she also instructed ballet to the young girls of the area, and she served as choreographer for the production of “Fiddler on the Roof.”

Jerome was born in New York City on living, and attended public and high schools in Brooklyn, New York. After graduating from Cornell University in Ithaca, New York, he studied dentistry at the University of Buffalo, a division of the University of the State of New York. He then served an internship at the Coney Island Hospital in Brooklyn, as well as a residency in oral surgery at the Lincoln Hospital in the Bronx, New York.

Madelyn was born in Perth Amboy, New Jersey, and after graduating from high school there, she became a professional model in New York City, as well as studying at New York University.

Subsequently, Madelyn taught modeling at the Barbizon School of Modeling. After the birth of Elizabeth, Madelyn accepted the position as Director of Interpretation for Sleepy Hollow Restorations, three historical homes funded by the Rockefeller Brother Fund.

Concurrently with his practice of Dentistry in Manhattan, New York, as well as Yonkers, New York, Dr. Rakov served on the faculty for ten years at the New York University College of Dentistry, from 1946 to 1956. He practiced for 25 years before coming to Verdigre. Prior to this period, he served in the United States Army as Captain for five years during World War II.

When Dr. Howard Rakov was ready to assume the practice, Jerome saw the advertisement in the American Dental Association Journal placed there by the Dentist for Verdigre Corporation which was seeking a dentist. Madelyn and Jerome came to Verdigre in September of 1970, and after a four-day visit and mutual attraction, they were invited to come to Verdigre to re-open the dental office.

In 1984 Dr. Rakov retired from the active practice of dentistry.

While residents in Verdigre, Madelyn and Jerome served in many civic activities. Madelyn was elected to the Verdigre Board of Education in 1971, the first woman in the area to be elected, and she served for five years. She was also one of the pioneers in the early development of the Verdigre Heritage Museum, serving one term as president. Madelyn gave the oral presentation in Minneapolis, Minnesota, which resulted in Verdigre being named an All-American City in 1972 by the Saturday Evening Post magazine. Madelyn was instrumental in getting a grant from the Nebraska Committee for the Humanities - as well as serving on the committee for the bi-centennial pageant, “They Came - Why here?” in 1976. She also served as stage manager for the two-year production of “Fiddler on the Roof” in 1974-75.

Dr. Rakov was invited by the Town Board to serve as Chairman of the Board of Trustees of the Verdigre Public Library, in which capacity he served for ten years. Concurrently, he also served as a member of the Northeast Network for Public Libraries, and the N. E. Library System Board, including one term as president. In 1984-85, he served as a member of the State Advisory Council to the Nebraska Library Commission. In 1979 he was elected one of seven State of Nebraska delegates to the White House Conference on Libraries and Information Service, and is currently serving as the Nebraska state representative to the White House Conference on Libraries Taskforce for the 1989 White House Conference on Libraries.

From 1981 to 1985 Dr. Rakov served as a member of the Nebraska Committee on the Humanities. He is also a charter life-founding member of the Verdigre Heritage Museum.

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