Obituary of Alpha Theodore Farabee

Viewing will be held at the Akin-Davis Funeral Home on Saturday, July 30, 2011 from 6-9 pm. A Home Going Celebration will be held at the Labelle Church of God on Sunday, July 31, 2011 at 3 pm. Ted was born January 23, 1923, in Arcadia, Florida. He spent his childhood in Rainey Slough near Venus, FL, He is one of the few left who attended the one room school house that is still standing at Rainey Slough on Farabee rd. He later attended Labelle High School where he played football. Later he served in the U.S. Coast Guard during WWII in the Philippines and the Sea of Japan until the end of the war. At seventeen he went to electrical school in Chicago and then remained in electrical work until he retired from FPL as chief electrician after 36 years, and after retirement worked at Ace Hardware on a part-time basis. For 58 years Ted served his Lord and his church in various positions including Sunday school superintendent, Sunday school teacher, Pastor's council, and church clerk. He was an active member of the Labelle Church of God, and made it his personal goal to tell everyone he met about the love of Christ. He was preceded in death by his parents Samuel Lardner Farabee and Lula Harn Farabee, his brother Noran C. Farabee, his sister Lucille Farabee Clark, and his daughter Judith Farabee Crawford. He is survived by his wife of 67 years, Mattie Gray Farabee, his children A. T. Farabee Jr., James Wesley Farabee, Thomas Wayne Farabee, and Dale Anthony Farabee. He has 20 grandchildren and 31 great-grandchildren. At the tender age of 88 years Ted has achieved his great reward. He will be sorely missed by his family and friends, but we look forward to seeing him again in the 'Sweet by and by'.