George Taibi

George Taibi, 89, of Steubenville, passed away on December 22, 2020, after a courageous ten-year battle with Alzheimer’s Disease, at The Meadows of Cadiz where he resided for just over a year. His daughter and family were with him.  He was a loving family-man; quiet, unassuming and highly-intellectual.

He was born on April 4, 1931, in Follansbee, West Virginia, to the late Salvatore Taibi and late Domenica (Purpura) Taibi.  In addition to his parents, he was preceded in death by his beloved wife of 33 years Norma Jean (Fabian) Taibi who passed away December 28, 1990; as well as by four brothers---Peter, Bartholomew, Joseph & John.

George graduated from Follansbee High School in 1949 where he was the West Virginia State Track Champion. He received many other track-and-field and football-accolades. He is in the OVAC Track and Field Hall-of-Fame at the Wesbanco Arena in Wheeling, WV. George was a 1953 graduate of Bethany College majoring in Psychology.  He received distinction on Comprehensive Examinations and received the Sigma Nu Fraternity Thorne-Award. He was inducted in October of 1983 into the Bethany College Athletic Hall of Fame for his prowess in Football and Track.

Shortly after college, he actively served in the United-States Army stationed in France for two years during the Korean Conflict. He received the Good-Conduct Medal and the National Defense Service Medal. He also served on a championship army volleyball-team. Following active duty he served in the West Virginia Reserves for five-years.  In November of 2017, he and his brothers were recognized by the Brooke County Veterans Memorial Park Foundation for having five family members in the armed services.  

After returning, he taught in the Follansbee Catholic Schools, serving for a time as the Head Football Coach at Follansbee St. Anthony High School. George also assisted the family-business Brooke Distributing Company, Follansbee, WV.  He obtained his Master’s Degree in Guidance-Counseling from the University of Pittsburgh, and was high-school guidance director at Jefferson Union High School where he served for 22 years, eventually having over 32 years in the education field.  He was well-respected among his professional colleagues and college-admissions staff at many universities. Many students credited his honest, well-crafted recommendations for helping them get admitted into the military academies or prestigious universities, and he was fondly remembered as a true guidance-counselor who knew how to counsel and help students.   He retired from the Edison Local School District in 1988.  After retirement, he completed H & R Block training, became a certified tax-preparer and ran his own Steubenville tax-business, “Home Tax Office”.

He was a member of various organizations: a lifetime-Third-Degree member of the Weirton Knights of Columbus, Council number 3734; lifetime-member of the Ohio Retired/Jefferson County Retired Teachers Association, The Ohio School Counselors Association, The Ohio Education Association, National Education Association, Edison Local Education Assn., The North Central Committee, the National Association of Tax Practitioners, and served as the treasurer of the Prime-Time Investment Club.   He is a member of Triumph of the Cross Parish/Holy Rosary, where he and Rita McBride enjoyed the title of “bocci-team champions” many years ago.  He was a devoted father and grandfather and always encouraged a love for learning.  He enjoyed taking his family to trips that were also educational in nature; Pittsburgh’s Buhl Planetarium and the Natural History Museum, Washington, and Gettysburg to name a few.  He was always well-read, and always attended his granddaughters’ sporting, dance-recital, and gymnastics-events.  He also enjoyed chartered bus-trips to sporting-events with friends.

George is survived by his loving daughter Gina (Mark) Judy of Richmond, Ohio; his dear friend and devoted companion of 26 years, Rita (DiGregory) McBride of Steubenville; two grandchildren, Kimberly Judy, (betrothed to Robert Sherretts of Sharon, PA), and Stephanie Judy, both of Richmond: a brother, Salvatore (Sam) Taibi of Weirton; a sister, Theresa (Albert) Iafrate of Warwood, WV; brother-in-law, Aldrege Fabian II of Steubenville; Sisters-in-law Geraldine of Follansbee, WV and Hazel of Bloomingdale;  and many nieces and nephews.

Calling Hours will be held Monday from 2 PM to 6 PM at the Mosti Funeral Home, Sunset Chapel, 4435 Sunset Blvd., Steubenville.  Funeral Mass with Liturgy will be held at Holy Rosary Catholic Church, Tuesday at 10 AM, Fr. Nicholas Ginnetti will celebrate. Burial will follow in Union Cemetery.

Please note: to respect the safety of the family, COVID-19 protocols of masks and social distancing is required.  

George’s daughter and family would like to thank all of those caregivers and medical-staff who assisted with George’s care.  Memorial donations may be made to the Alzheimer’s Association, 225 N. Michigan Ave., Fl. 17, Chicago IL 60601 or the Triumph of the Cross Parish, PO Box 908, Steubenville, OH 43952.

Offer condolences, www.mostifuneralhome.com