Helen L. Labass

Helen Lorene Garrett LaBass of Fairbury, Nebraska was born June 25, 1928 at Tulsa, Oklahoma, the oldest of four daughters born to Earnest and Frances (Claypool) Garrett. She was baptized in the First Baptist Church in Bixby, Oklahoma. She was raised on a farm near Bixby and lived on the same farm until she left for college.

She was a graduate of Bixby High School with the class of 1945. She attended Oklahoma College for Women, Chickasha, Oklahoma and received her B. S. degree from Oklahoma State University, Stillwater, Oklahoma. She received her Master’s Degree from the University of Nebraska at Lincoln.

On December 28, 1950, she was united in marriage to Joe LaBass at the First Baptist Church, Bixby, Oklahoma. To this union three children were born.

After graduation from Oklahoma State University, she was employed as Assistant Extension Agent of Kay County, Newkirk, Oklahoma. She was employed as a teacher in the Elgin, Nebraska and Fairbury, Nebraska public schools.

She lived with her family in Elgin, Broken Bow, North Platte, Creighton, and Neligh, Nebraska when her husband transferred to FHA-USDA offices. In 1965, they moved to Fairbury where he was supervisor of the Jefferson and Thayer County offices.

She was active in the First Baptist Church and had served on many boards and committees in the church. Before her husband became ill, she served several years on the Capitol Association Board of American Baptist Women. She served four years on the Nebraska State Board of American Baptist Women.

She served as Democratic Committee Woman for Meridian and Lincoln townships and Ward IV in Fairbury. After the death of her husband, she became a weekly volunteer at Central Elementary and Jefferson Community Health Center. She kept the scrapbook for JCHC for many years as well as many other duties. She had been a 4-H leader and worked for years at the Jefferson County Fair. Other occasional volunteering was Red Cross Bloodmobile, the raising and lowering of the Avenue of Flags, Braille, and Earth Day, Farm Safety Day, and KUTT Thanksgiving Dinner. She was a member of Narfe, Sugar and Spice Club and three bridge clubs.

Preceding her in death were her husband, Joe, her daughter-in-law, Dawna LaBass, her parents, an infant brother James, and a sister Mary Ellen Garrett Cheatham, Roberta Doris Burns and husband J. D. and members of the Troy LaBass family.

Survivors include son Gary of Fairbury, NE, daughter Gayle Anderson and husband Jack of Lees Summit, MO, daughter Jane Zabokrtsky and husband Chad of Endicott, NE, sister Vera Garrett of Aurora, CO, grandchildren Stacey Anderson Johnson and husband Brian of Chicago, IL, Bryce Anderson, Kona, Hawaii, Cherish Anderson Smith and husband Isaac of Kansas City, MO, Josey and Lane Zaboktrsky of Endicott, NE.

Services will be Thursday February 12, 2015 at 11:00 a.m. at First Baptist Church in Fairbury, NE, with Pastor Joel Hahn officiating. The family will greet friends at the Funeral Home on Wednesday from 5:00 to 7:00 p.m. Burial will Saturday, February 14, 2015 at 11:00 a.m. at the Bixby Cemetery, Bixby Oklahoma.