Obit: Robida, John A. (1917 - 2008)

Poster: Robert Lipprandt

Email: bob@wiclarkcountyhistory.org

Surnames: Apfelbeck, Balciar, Cuyler, Denzin, Flores, Franklin, Garguilo, Gebert, Harris, Lamoreux, Murien, Robida, Schaefer, Thorson, Younker

----Source: The Star News (Medford, Taylor Co., WI) Thursday, August 14, 2008, Online Edition

Robida, John A. (May 1, 1917 - August 11, 2008)

John A. Robida, 91, Dorchester, passed away Monday, Aug. 11, 2008 in the Palliative Care Unit at St. Joseph's Hospital in Marshfield, where he had been admitted on August 10, 2008.

A Mass of Christian Burial will be celebrated at 11 a.m. on Thursday, Aug. 14, 2008 at St. Bernard's Catholic Church in Abbotsford. Concelebrants for the Mass will be Rev. Benjamin Franklin, Pastor, and Rev. James Schaefer, a former family parish priest. A private family commital service at Dorchester Cemetery will be held at a later date. Pallbearers will be Craig, Cuyler and Chad Robida, Jay and Jody Apfelbeck, Matthew Flores and Jon Harris. Honorary pallbearers will be Jared Younker and Tyler and Cody Thorson.

John was born May 1, 1917 to Anton and Mary (Murien) Robida in the Town of Deer Creek in Taylor County.

He attended grade school at Pleasant Valley Grade School in Deer Creek until the eighth grade. He started his work career as a licensed cheesemaker working in Stetsonville. John later became owner/operator of a dairy farm outside of Dorchester.

John married Jeannette E. Gebert on September 1, 1941 at St. Louis Catholic Church in Dorchester. After retiring from farming, John started doing carpentry work, which he enjoyed. John's greatest love was his wife, Jeannette, and their snowbirding to Texas and Florida for over 16 years. John enjoyed fishing and camping and traveling in their motorhome. John is a member of the Catholic Order of Foresters and a member of St. Louis Catholic Church.

John is survived by his loving and caring wife, Jeannette of Dorchester; his children, Karen (fiancé Terry Lamoreux) Apfelbeck of Medford, Ronald (Judy) Robida of Dorchester, Gwendolyn Harris of Scandanavia and Trude (Tom) Garguilo of Orlando, Fla.; 16 grandchildren; 15 great-grandchildren; and two step-great-grandchildren. John is further survived by his siblings, Ann Denzin of Medford, Margaret (Walter) Balciar of Medford and Donavan (Jo) Robida of Stratford; and a sister-in-law, Agnes Robida. He is also survived by many other relatives and many friends.

He was preceded in death by his parents; a son, Reginald; two brothers, Roy and William Robida; and a brother-in-law, Ed Denzin.