ADVERTISING
Lois "Marcelle" Gebhardt Shepherd LaBuda
Obituaries | The Tube City Almanac | September 20, 2023
Marcelle went to be with our Lord on the evening of Thursday, September 14th, 2023 at her residence in Venice Florida. She was surrounded by her loving family. She was born on January 4th, 1936 as one of eight daughters to the late Carl and Evelyn (Downing) Gebhardt in McKeesport, PA. Marcelle was a former tax collector for Coulter, PA in the early 1960's. She obtained her Nursing Degree in 1975, and worked for Westmoreland Hospital, Venice Hospital Florida, Dr. Edward Freeman, and Tampico Nursing Home, also of Florida, caring for thousands of patients before retiring in 1997. Marcelle enjoyed music, singing, playing bass and classical guitar, piano, and composing songs. She was part of a duo band called Marcelle with Art. She was "our rock star" playing bass guitar and singing while Art played the melody. The band performed in many restaurants in North Huntingdon, Greensburg and Mount Pleasant area. Marcelle attended St. Marks Church in Venice Florida and Monroe Street Methodist in Toledo Ohio. Her hobbies included genealogy research, playing bridge and tinkering with repair projects around the home. She was so talented, she could putty and spray paint your car! She founded and taught the Coulter Cowgirls Baton Twirling Team in 1960. Along with Flo Mazur, they would sew every uniform and banner for the team. She also was a baton and colorguard instructor for the Circleville Green Berets and Park Terrace Pussycats in the 70's.
Later in life, she became a world traveler and enjoyed dancing, especially polka. She loved visiting Europe and Poland so much, she visited Poland on three different occasions. She was preceded in death by her late husband, Chester Labuda and her sons, Raymond and Joseph Shepherd, daughter-in-law Geraldine Shepherd, and her ex-husband Raymond Shepherd. She joins her sisters Dorothy Miller, Edna Gebhardt, Audrey Neal, Maragaret Pifferetti, and Thelma McNeal. She is also preceded in death by her great-grandson Frankie Angel Rivera. Marcelle is survived by her two lovely sisters, Eileen Korinko of North Huntingdon and Kathy Boyle of White Oak, PA. As well as her daughters Michelle Skarzynski (David) of North Huntingdon, Stella Minkel (Barry), Stephanie Shepherd of White Oak, and Jean Shepherd (Todd Vandergaag) of Venice, Florida. Also her grandchildren Julie McCarthy (Paul), Daniel Minkel (Abraham), Elaina Minkel (Enrique Rivera), Sean Brooks, Allison Minkel (Sean Grivna), Ryan Brooks, (Sarah), Dalane Vandergaag, Todd Vandergaag Jr. (Gabrielle), and Grace Skarzynski; and great-grandchildren Ronan, Maeve, and Tomás McCarthy, Emery Ann Carroll, Valerie and Ophelia Vandergaag, and Serenity Hope Brooks. She has many beautiful nieces and nephews. Entombment will be handled by the James W. Shirley Funeral Home at a later date.
The family will be having a "CELEBRATION of LIFE" on Friday, September 29th, 2023 at THE LITTLE COULTERVILLE CHAPEL in COULTER PA from 1 pm to 4 pm located at 959 Tourman Street, Coulter PA 15028
In lieu of flowers, you can make a donation in Marcelle's name to The Bigley Family Cemetery Fund c/o JoAnn Shepherd, 401 Woodall Ave, North Huntingdon PA 15642
Originally published September 20, 2023.
Other deaths:
"Deborah Ann (Brady) L…" || "James J. Gaydos"