Anthony Lavite

JOSEPH L. LABUDA

Colonel Anthony "Tony" Lavite, Jr. USA ret, age 82, died Tuesday, February 15, 2005 in Weatherford.
   Anthony Lavite, Jr. was born December 17, 1922 in New Orleans, Louisiana to Anthony Lavite, Sr. and Mary DeGange Lavite. He was a graduate of Warren Easton High School and Louisiana State University.
   Col. Lavite entered the United States Army in 1945 as an enlisted man. He served his country for 32 years including World War II, Korea, and Vietnam. Col. Lavite retired in 1973 as Commandant of the United States Army Primary Flight School at Fort Wolters.
   Tony married Geri Boyce in 1965 and moved to Weatherford in 1972. He was a member of the Parker County Sheriff's Posse, a rancher, cattleman, and raised Jack Russell Terriers. Tony was preceded in death by his parents, and son, Captain Anthony Lavite III, killed in Vietnam in 1969.
   Col. Lavite is survived by his wife, Geri Lavite of Weatherford; son, Jerry "Butch" Lavite and wife, Deborah of MO; daughter, Cathy Pfaltzgraff and husband, Dennis of Killeen; five grandchildren and nine great grandchildren; sister, Mary "Honey Girl" Crovetto of Mandeville, LA; sister-in-law, Anne Onderdonk of Amityville, NY; mother-in-law, Marie Boyce of Amityville, NY; nieces, Mia James and husband, Jeff of Baton Rouge, La, Cara Vann and husband, Greg of Houston, Kristin Horan and husband, Paul of Ireland; nephew, Eric Onderdonk and wife, Kristen of Amityville, NY.
   Graveside services will be held 10 a.m. Friday, February 18, 2005 in the Dallas- Fort Worth National Cemetery.
   The family will receive guests from 6 to 8 p.m. Thursday at White's Funeral Home. In lieu of flowers, memorial donations may be directed to the Parker County Livestock Improvement Association for Parker County Youth, P.O. Box 1744, Weatherford or to Meals on Wheels, 1225 Holland Lake Drive, Weatherford.

Grave marker for Joseph L. Labuda in Saints Cyril and Methodius Catholic Cemetery, Bethlehem (Northampton), Pennsylvania.

Joseph enlisted in the Army on June 25, 1943 in enlisted at Allentown, PA and after completing jump school he was assigned to Company F, 508th on March 2, 1944 when the regiment was still at Camp Cromore, Portstewart, Ireland.

He fought in the Normandy and Holland campaigns and then completed Pathfinder school in December 1944. That skill was never used as the 508th went into the Battle of Bulge via trucks rather than aircraft.