John P. Kobiela

John P. Kobiela, age 80, of St. Paris, Ohio and formerly of Garrett, Indiana, passed away unexpectedly on Saturday, May 1, 2021 at 3:18 a.m. in Upper Valley Medical Center, Troy, OH.

Born on February 24, 1941 in Garrett, IN he was a son of the late Adam and Rachel (Rice) Kobiela. He was also preceded in death by a brother Joseph Kobiela.

John was a loving husband, father, grandfather and friend. He married Glenda Lou Musselman on November 27, 1971 and together they raised three children:  Robert “Bob” Kobiela (Monica Kizer), Lori (Jeff) Riecke, and Todd (Jenny) Kobiela. He was a loving grandfather to eight grandchildren: Misty Oakley, Megan Kobiela, Austin Bonecutter, Makayla and Dakota Riecke, Keylee, Kiera and Kayden Kobiela, and four great grandchildren Kaylee, Maci, Grayson, and Layne.

He is also survived by a sister Mary Helen (Rex) Fousnaugh, a brother Tom Kobiela, and brother-in-law Dennis (Pam) Musselman.

John was a 1959 graduate of Garrett High School, Garrett IN and he attended Ivy Technical College. He proudly served his country in the U.S. Air Force and was a member of the Garrett American Legion for 50 years. He worked for Navistar, which brought him to St. Paris, OH in 1988. He served his community for 20 years on the Zoning Board and the election committee in St. Paris.  He retired from Navistar in July of 2001 with 36 years of employment. He was a member of the Sacred Heart Catholic Church in St. Paris for 33 years. John served as a Lector at all of the family weddings.

John loved to travel, camping, campfires, pudgie pie making, and dancing. 

Visitation for family and friends will be held on Wednesday, May 5, 2021 from 5:00 p.m. to 7:00 p.m. in the Atkins-Shively Funeral Home, 216 S. Springfield Street, St. Paris, Ohio

A second visitation will be held on Friday, May 7, 2021 from 4:00 p.m. to 8:00 p.m. at Thomas Funeral Home, 1277 Co. Rd. 56, Garrett, Indiana 46738. Masks are strongly recommended

A funeral mass will be celebrated on Saturday, May 8, 2021 at 10:00 a.m. in the St. Joseph Catholic Church with Father Jim Shafer presiding. Burial will follow in Ege Cemetery, 7277 E. 400 S, Ege, Indiana.

Masks covering the nose and mouth are required at the Funeral Mass

John’s family requests that any donations be made in his name to The American Legion National Headquarters on line at http://mylegion.org or 700 N. Pennsylvania St., P.O. Box 1055, Indianapolis, IN 46206, or to Alzheimer’s Association, Miami Valley Chapter, 31 W. Whipp Road, Dayton, Ohio 45459. 

You may send a condolence or sign the on-line register book by visiting: www.thomasfuneralhome.org

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