George R. Karabin

George R. Karabin, 88, of Bethlehem, died on Thursday, February 9, 2012 at St. Luke's Hospital in Fountain Hill. Born in Bethlehem, he was the son of the late Joseph and Dorothy Gress Karabin. He was the loving husband of Theresa C. Sabol Karabin. They celebrated their 64th wedding anniversary this past October 25th.

George was a graduate of Ss. Cyril and Methodius, Bethlehem Catholic and the former Allentown Banking School where he earned his Bachelor's Degree in Accounting. He worked for the Bethlehem Steel Corporation for 32 years in the Accounting Division. He also worked as a Manager/Controller of the Bethlehem Club for eight years and 17 years in the Bethlehem Regional Office of The Pa. Dept. of revenue before retiring in 2006

George proudly served his country in the U.S. Army during WWII in the South Pacific Theatre. He was active with the former Ss. Cyril and Methodius Parish and St. Anne's Catholic Church and School. George helped initiate sports programs for the Catholic Youth Organization, including basketball, baseball, football and track. He was on the Board of Directors of St. Francis Academy for 10 years, president of the Bethlehem Catholic Booster Club and treasurer of Northeast Little League. He served on the Bethlehem School Board for 7 years, Bethlehem City Council for 8 years and was a member of the National Sokols and Woodman of the World.

He will be lovingly remembered by his wife, Theresa, sons, Gregory Karabin and his wife Bonnie; Christopher Karabin and his wife Janet; Drew Karabin and his wife Mary Jane; his daughter, Deborah and her husband, John Stevenson; his eleven grandchildren, nine great-grandchildren, and two sisters, Helen Fiala and Bernice Wilk. He was preceded in death by his brother, Joseph Karabin, Jr. and his sisters, Mary Kovacs and Agnes Tulio.

Services: A viewing will be held on Sunday from 4-7 p.m. and Monday from 8:45-9:30 a.m. at Connell Funeral Home, Inc. 245 E. Broad St. Bethlehem. A Mass of Christian Burial will be celebrated at 10 a.m. at St. Anne's Catholic Church, 450 Washington Ave., Bethlehem, PA 18017. Burial will follow at Holy Saviour Cemetery, Bethlehem.

In lieu of flowers, memorial contributions may be made in George's memory to St. Anne's Education Endowment Fund, c/o St. Anne's Catholic Church.