John Labidas

P. DEAN HOMER FUNERAL HOME 206 WATER STREET PO BOX 1 DUSHORE, PA 18614 TEL 570 928-8163 FAX 570 928-8116 Email pdh@epix.net OBITUARY November 5th, 2012 John Labidas, age 79, of Colley Township, Sullivan County, PA passed away after a very brief stay at the Highlands Care Center in Laporte, PA. John was born December 6, 1933, son of the late Peeter & Elli Zahrmann-Leemann Labidas in Lauri, province of Viljandi, Estonia, a small country bordering the northeastern Baltic Sea. He graduated from high school there and migrated to New Jersey. He served in the US Army from 1956 to 1958 and then received his citizenship in 1959. He was a member of the winning United States Infantry Team at the NATO PRIX LECLERC in 1958. This competition is between teams composed of Officers, Non-Commissioned Officers and enlisted men, using all infantry weapons and takes place in conditions approximating nearly as possible to those of war. Only one team represented each NATO nation . He also trained New Jersey State Police special units in marksmanship. He was also a member of the Lakewood Estonian Association in Lakewood, NJ and in recent years was very proud of being able to travel back to his home country of Estonia. He worked in New Jersey as a construction worker and retired to Colley Township in the mid 70’s, where he enjoyed reading, hunting, cutting wood, and gardening. He loved to share his flowers and vegetables with his friends. Surviving: cousin, Aime Harm in Estonia and several close friends, Steven Iannone & Lee Kleinsmith, Jenilee Johnson, Gail & Jim McCarty and his special young friends Colton & Takyra. Funeral Services will be on Saturday, December 15, 2012 at 1:00 P.M. at Redeemer Church, Dushore, PA. Interment will be in the Suure-Jaani Lutheran Cemetery in Viljandi, Estonia. The flower will be provided and ask that memorial contribution be directed to the charity of your choice. Funeral Arrangements are under the direction of the P. Dean Homer Funeral Home, 206 Water St., Dushore, PA. To send condolences or sign the e-guestbook, please go to www.homerfuneralhome.com. To order memorial trees or send flowers to the family in memory of John Labidas, please visit our flower store.