Charles D. Labbo

Charles “David” Labbo passed away peacefully at home in Athens, Georgia, on November 20, 2024, at the age of 79, surrounded by his family after a courageous battle with cancer. 

 Born in Newport, Rhode Island in 1945 to US military parents, David frequently relocated between bases with his family, also living in Japan, Puerto Rico, Montana, Ohio, Massachusetts, and Texas, where his parents retired. He graduated from Sam Houston High School and Trinity University on an academic scholarship in San Antonio, Texas, where he married his true love, Linda K. Day. They were married for 57 years, relocating to Athens, Georgia, in 1993.

 Before David began his successful career as an elementary school teacher and then as a State Farm insurance agent, he competed in professional PGA golf tournaments for several years, holding a PGA Tour Card and employed as a golf pro at Pecan Valley golf club in San Antonio. A gifted athlete, he earned high school varsity letters in four sports, in which he continued competing at a high level for decades. He was a true renaissance man, performing captivating and hilarious shows for years as part of a lucrative hobby as “Eight-Ball the Clown”, a mime, and a magician. He was very well read and knowledgeable, a skilled fisherman, and a fierce treasure hunter at flea markets and garage sales. He never met a stranger, and he leaves a legacy of helping others in need and sharing his Christian faith, leading many people to Christ in his life. 

David is survived by his wife Linda; children Drew (wife Becky) and Leigh (husband Roger); grandchildren Nora, Griffin, Charlie, and Koen; sister Suzanne; and niece Jessa. He was preceded in death by his father, Charles Alvin Labbo; his mother, Jean Barry Labbo; and his dear brother-in-law Randy Felker.

 David loved his friends and family, and is dearly missed. We are comforted that he is at peace now, likely landing big trout from a heavenly fishing pond.

Funeral services will be held at 11:00 AM at Watkinsville First Baptist Church in Georgia on January 31, 2025.

In lieu of flowers, donations in the memory of David Labbo can be made to Watkinsville First Baptist Church.

Lord & Stephens Funeral Homes, East, Athens, GA is assisting the family with the arrangements. www.lordandstephens.com