John Laborde

Command Sergeants Major John Keith Laborde, passed away April 22, 2010 while serving his country in Afghanistan. Funeral mass will be held at 10:30 a.m. on Saturday, May 1, 2010 at St. Gabriel Catholic Church, Reinbeck, Iowa. Burial will be immediately following the funeral mass at Woodlawn Cemetery, Oelwein, Iowa. Visitation will be held Friday, April 30, 2010 from 5:00 p.m. to 8:00 p.m. at St. Gabriel Catholic Church. A vigil service will be held at 5:00 p.m. on Friday and all are invited to join. A memorial fund, in Keith’s honor, has been established at Lincoln Savings Bank in Reinbeck.

Keith was born in Marksville, Louisiana on March 2, 1957 to his parents Preston and Edith Laborde. He was raised and educated there and joined the United States Marines at the age of 18. He traveled the world and served in the Marines for 10 years. He earned the rank of SSG by June 25, 1985. On June 26, 1985 Keith joined the United States Army Reserve. Keith was united in marriage to his wife Lori on November 25, 1985 and they welcomed five children into their family. Keith was the supervisor of the AMSA 28 in Cedar Falls, Iowa until he was deployed to Afghanistan.

Keith loved to hunt, fish and golf. His daughter Tiffany remembers that the one rule of fishing with Keith was that you had to be able to bait your own hook. Keith was a member of the Lions Club and the American Legion Action Post 242, Reinbeck, Iowa. He was also a high school CCD teacher. All of his children and his wife remember him as a loving and devoted father.

Keith is survived by his wife Lori Laborde of Reinbeck Iowa; his children Tiffany E. Laborde, Theresa E. (Philip) Hol, USMC SGT Terrance E. Laborde, Navy PO3 Shawn J. (Carran) Laborde and Adam J. Laborde; his grandsons David and Evan Fleming; his sisters Claudia (the late Roger) Snyder, Rebecca Young, Elizabeth (Bryan) VanderKooi and Jennifer Laborde. He is preceded in death by his parents.