Joseph John Stibora III passed away June 12, 2015, with his family present. He was born to Adella Cook and Joe Stibora on August 26, 1930, on a farm near Ellinger, Texas. He received his primary and secondary education at the Ellinger Public School, Ellinger,Texas, and at La Grange High School, La Grange, Texas. Postsecondary education occurred at Southwestern Business University and the University of Houston College of Business Administration, Houston, Texas. After being drafted into the US Army at Fort Sam Houston, San Antonio, Texas, on March 15, 1951, to serve his two year obligation, he was assigned to Fort Bliss Army Base in El Paso for basic and advanced basic training with an eventual assignment to Headquarters Battalion, 1st Guide Missile Group, Personnel Office until his honorable discharge as Sergeant (E-5) on March 14, 1953.
Upon his return to Houston, he became employed by Gulf Oil Corporation in its Houston Accounting Center and served in several capacities, eventually retiring as Senior Supervisor over Financial Reporting for the Chemical companies on July 29, 1983. In February 1971, he was appointed to Stafford City Council where he served until April 1976. He also served on several community committees and sometimes held officer positions. This community service included the Stafford Economic Development Commission, Stafford/MissouriCity Lions Club, Stafford-Missouri City Little League Baseball, Friends of Fort Bend County Library and Holy Family Church in Missouri City. In 1994 he was honored as the 4th of July Parade Marshall for the City of Stafford. In November of 1983, Mayor Leonard Scarcella and City Council named Joe to serve as the city's first Director of Finance and Administration. He served in this capacity until he retired on December 31, 1990. Joe also held memberships in both SPJST Lodge 88 in Houston and the Metropolitan Houston Chapter Chevron Retirees Association in Houston.
Joe married Blanche Sobotik, whom he met in college, on June 14, 1958, at St. Theresa's Catholic Church in Houston. Their honeymoon took them to Mexico City and Acapulco. They built their own home, designed by Blanche, in Stafford where they lived for 34 years. They were blessed with two children, Colette and Kenrick Stibora. Blanche retired from Exxon USA to raise the children. The family enjoyed traveling throughout the United States, Mexico and Hawaii, and Blanche and Joe enjoyed two trips to Europe in 1993 and 1996. On July 4, 1993, they had an audience with then Pope John Paul II at St. Peter's Basilica in Rome. While in Europe, they also visited the gravesite of Blanche's brother, 2nd Lt. Stanley Sobotik (killed over Germany in WWII), who lies buried in the beautiful Netherlands American Cemetery in the village of Margraten, Netherlands.
Survivors include wife Blanche of 57 years, daughter Colette and husband, Mike Surman, and their children, Caitlin, Jake and fiancee Tori Hutton, of La Grange, son Kenrick and wife Noel and their children Faith and Britain, of Watauga. Sisters Rose Novosad of La Grange and Mae Dell Stojanik of Ellinger, sister in law and brother in law, Mary and Jesse Sobotik of Houston, several nieces and nephews and other relatives and friends.
Joe was also blessed with five godchildren: Charles Stasney, Missouri City; Connie Mechura Sacco, Katy; Aaron Freudensprung, Wharton; Kathryn Sobotik, Katy; and Mark Sobotik, Houston. Army buddies include Prosper Sick of New Orleans La., Jim Chandler of Gordon, Wisconsin, Lloyd Wengenroth of Castroville Texas, Charles Stasney (deceased) of Poplarville Mississippi, and Marvin Johnson (deceased) of Merrillville, Indiana.
Joe was preceded in death by his parents, infant sister, Minnie Mae Stibora, brothers-in-law George Novosad Sr., Bernard Stojanik, and 2nd Lt. Stanley Sobotik and nephews George Novosad Jr. and Cadet Richard Sobotik USMA.
Pall bearers are Jake Surman, Britain Stibora, Mark Sobotik, Kenneth Stojanik, David Novosad, Aaron Fruedensprung and Jimmie Fucik.
Visitaion is scheduled for Thursday June 18, 2015 from 12:00 PM until 4:00 PM at Fayette Memorial Funeral Home in La Grange and from 5:00 PM until 7:00 PM at Queen of the Holy Rosary Catholic Church in Hostyn. Rosary will be held at the Queen of the Holy Rosary Church, Hostyn, Texas, at 7 p.m. on June 18, 2015. Funeral mass will be held on June 19, 2015, at 11 a.m at the Queen of the Holy Rosary Catholic Church. Celebrants are Msgr. Reggie Nesvadba, assisted by Fr. Dan Kahlich and Deacon John McCourt. Burial will occur in the church cemetery. Memorials may be made to Holy Rosary Catholic Church in Hostyn, Hospice Brazos Valley or donor's choice. Funeral arrangements are entrusted to Fayette Memorial Funeral Home of La Grange.