Jack LaBonde

Jack Joseph LaBonde died peacefully at 94 years old, on March 11, 2023. He was born to Harry and Pauline (Guenzi) LaBonde in Denver, Colorado on December 3, 1928. His younger years were spent in north Denver with his older brother Harry Jr. He graduated from North Denver High School in 1946. Upon graduation, he took off on an adventure to Washington and Montana to join the forest service as a smokejumper, lookout spotter and in trail maintenance for several summers. He started his college education at CSU and transferred to Colorado State College (UNC) after one year. He received his bachelors and masters in health and safety. While at CSC he was a Rocky Mountain Conference wrestling champion in 1951, as well as shortstop on the baseball team that went to the College World Series in 1952. He played semi-pro baseball in Goodland, Kansas for several summers. After graduation, in 1954 he married Annette Clark at Goodland, Kansas and joined the Navy for 2 years. He served as an induction trainer and played baseball on an all-service team. He began his coaching and teaching career in Brush, Colorado. In Montrose from 1956-1959, he coached baseball and won 3 state wrestling championships. In 1959, he moved to Greeley and taught health, safety, physical education and drivers education at CSC. He coached wrestling from 1959- 1982 and freshman baseball from 1959-1965. He was known as the "Jack the Giant Killer" as a wrestling coach. His teams defeated several nationally ranked teams when they visited Greeley. Fans would pack Gunter Hall gym from the rafters to the sides of the mat. In 1969 they placed second at Division II national championships. He coached several national champions and All Americans. Jack was inducted into the Denver North, The Order of Olaf The Bold, UNC, Athletic Hall of Fame on three separate occasions and National Wrestling Hall of Fame, Colorado Chapter. His family lived in the Glenmere neighborhood while he designed his house and barn that was built at Arrowhead. He raised horses, cows, pigs, chickens and rabbits as a hobby farmer. He loved all of his dogs through the years. Jack and Fay lived in Libby, Montana for 14 years near where he had served as a forest service firefighter when he was 18. They built a home on the Kootenai river. He worked as the county recreation director in Libby for 10 years. They then settled in Mesa and Show Low, Arizona where he played senior softball. They found a house on a creek in Cedaredge, Colorado that was their home until they moved to McKenzie Place assisted living in Fort Collins. He loved fly fishing in mountain streams, pheasant hunting, camping, and horse pack trips to the Powderhorns and Lost lake. He enjoyed coaching his sons in summer baseball from little league through legion ball. He moved dirt with his Ford tractor, skied and collected western art. They traveled to Germany, Italy, Canada, Alaska, Maine, Hawaii, and Branson, Missouri. He was married to Fay Paddock in 1964 (57 years) until her passing in 2022. He is survived by children, Janie (Rainer) Uhlig, Jack (Susan), Jerry (Susie), Jill (David) Soucie, Brian (Terri), and Brad. He enjoyed time with his 8 grandchildren and 7 great grandchildren. Sisters-in-law Gen LaBonde, Janie Mullikan, Pat O'Hanlon and brother in law Bill (Allison) Paddock. Burial will be March 28, 2023 at 10 am at Sunset Memorial Garden, 3400 W. 28 St. Greeley, followed by a Memorial and reception at noon at the Campus Commons at UNC, 1051 22nd St. Greeley. In lieu of flowers donations may be made to the "Jack LaBonde/Class of 1969 wrestling endowment" at UNC Foundation, Campus Box 20, Greeley, CO 80631.