Obituary of Edward Jacob Sabella

Edward J. Sabella Funeral services for Edward Jacob Sabella of Elsberry, MO, will be held at 11:00 a.m. Tuesday, August 14, 2012 at Carter-Ricks Funeral Home in Elsberry. Dinah Sutton, Chaplain of AmHeart Hospice, will officiate with burial in the Elsberry City Cemetery beside his wife, Doris. Serving as pallbearers will be his sons. Mr. Sabella, 87, passed away early Saturday morning, August 11, 2012 at his home on Hickory Lane near Elsberry. Born January 5, 1925 in Rochester, NY, Ed was the son of Jacob Edward & Agaby Lufty Sabella. He resided in Rochester until he entered the Military. He served his country during World War II as a Flight Officer (Navigator Bombardier) with the Army Air Force and was honorably discharged on November 20, 1945. Ed went on to serve in the Army Reserves during the 1950s. He was united in marriage on June 11, 1948 in Rochester, NY to Doris Mae Salisbury of Orleans, New York. This union was blessed with seven children: George Edward, John Andrew, Raymond Jacob, Jacob Earl, David William, Steven Lawrence and Constance Mae. He graduated from Syracuse University in 1949 under the G.I. Bill. Ed served as a technician with the Four Point Marshall Plan on behalf of the United States Government in 1953 in Iran, teaching and documenting public health practices for local villagers. He went on to become an industrial designer with Bell Helicopters, returning to Buffalo, NY. In 1960, Ed began a long and industrious career as a design manager with IBM in Poughkeepsie, NY. This career stretched decades, taking him from Endicott, NY to Raleigh, NC, Hursley, UK, and Austin TX. He retired in 1990. Coming from Georgetown, TX, he has made his home near Elsberry since July, 1996. He was a member of Sacred Heart Catholic Church in Elsberry. Ed loved cooking traditional Lebanese recipes for his family, and took the lead role in organizing annual family reunions for his children and large extended family. He was preceded in death by his parents Jacob and Agaby Sabella; his brother, George Sabella who died in 1943 as a pilot in the U.S. Army Air Corps during World War II; and his beloved wife of 47 years, Doris Sabella who died October 22, 1996. Survivors include six sons: George Sabella and his wife, Ruth, of Murrells Inlet, SC; John Sabella of Stokes, NC; Raymond Sabella and his wife, Beronica, of California, MD; Jacob Sabella and his wife Cheryl, of Flint Hill, MO; David Sabella and his wife, Terri, of Leander, TX and Steve Sabella and his wife, Tammy, of Elsberry, MO; and one daughter, Connie Sabella and her husband , Joe Crowell, of Las Vegas, NV; 13 grandchildren and 9 great-grandchildren. He also leaves his beloved sister, Rozlyn Clarke of Greece, NY; multiple nieces, nephews, cousins, other relatives and many, many friends. Visitation will be held from 4:00 - 8:00 p.m. Monday, August 13, 2012 at Carter-Ricks Funeral Home in Elsberry. Memorials may be made to AmHeart Hospice in care of Carter-Ricks Funeral Home, 107 South Fifth Street, Elsberry, MO 63343. Online condolences may be made at www.carterricksfuneralhome.com.