Daniel ‘Lee’ LaBute – formerly of California, Pa.

Daniel “Lee” LaBute, 88, formerly of California, Pa., passed away after a lengthy illness in Strabane Woods Assisted Living in Washington, Pa. He was born on July 15, 1932 in Berlin, Somerset County, Pa., the eldest child of Daniel James LaBute and Clara Edna Lepley LaBute Brant. Lee attended Indiana University of Pennsylvania studying art education when his college career was interrupted by being drafted into the U.S. Army. He eventually served at the U.S. Army base in Yokohama, Japan. While in college, Lee met and married Marilyn Jean Walker from Pittsburgh – Brentwood area. They were married for 67 years. Upon his discharge from the Army, Lee finished his Bachelor of Science in Art Education degree and set out teaching art classes while traveling to different schools in the Pittsburgh area. He earned his Master’s of Education Degree from the University of Pittsburgh. In 1964, Lee was offered a position at California University (then-California State Teachers College) of Pennsylvania, where he taught art-related courses in an industrial arts application. He taught there for 27 years, retiring in 1991. Lee was a member of the California United Methodist Church in California, Pa. where he served for many years as a Trustee and also a member of Monongahela Valley Lodge 461 of F & AM. His interests were gardening, reading, hunting, fishing and music. In addition to his wife, he is survived by two sisters, Nancy (Donald) Custer of Berlin, Pa. and Eileen (William) Zeplin of Barrington Hills, Ill.; and brother-in-law, George Hickey of Johnstown; five daughters, Susan (Ronald) Bloss of Front Royal, Va., Doris (John) Wadsworth of California, Pa., Karen (Charles) Harris of Malden (Centerville Boro), Lisa (Jack) Borden of Bluffton, S.C. and Paula (Kenneth) Tirpak of Lake Worth, Fla. Also surviving are twelve grandchildren, Jaclyn (Brian) Bloss Bell and Russell (Shannon) Bloss, John (Maria) Wadsworth, Bradden (Paula) Wadsworth, Daniel (Alexis) Wadsworth, Jesse and Aaron (fiancée, Jessica Martin) Harris, Ethan and Sadie Quint and Zachary (Taylor) Tirpak, Meredith and Julia Tirpak; nine great-grandchildren and many nieces and nephews. In addition to his parents, deceased are his brother, Edward and sister-in-law, Margaret LaBute; and a sister, Evelyn Hickey. Friends will be received in the MARISCOTTI FUNERAL HOME INC., Anthony N. Mariscotti, Supervisor, 323 Fourth St., California, Pa., from 10 a.m. to noon, Tuesday, Jan. 5, 2021 prior to a private funeral service with the Rev. Dawn Hargraves officiating. Interment will follow in Phillipsburg Cemetery, California, Pa. In keeping in compliance with the guidelines set forth by the Commonwealth, a limited number of visitors may be in the funeral home at one time. We seek everyone’s cooperation and patience in practicing COVID-19 universal precautions, social distancing, the wearing face masks is mandatory at all times while in the funeral home and limiting your visit to five minutes or less.