Lt. Col. Rev. Gabriel F. Yablonsky, 88

Campbell…A Mass of Christian Burial will be held Saturday at 11:00 a.m. at Christ the Good Shepherd Parish at St. John Catholic Church, for Lt. Col. Rev. Gabriel F. Yablonsky, 88, who passed away Monday afternoon at Assumption Village.

Rev. Yablonsky was born January 5, 1929, in Campbell, the son of Martin and Mary Heldt Yablonovsky.

He was a 1946 graduate of Ursuline High School and then went on to serve his country in the US Air Force from 1947 – 1950.  After returning from the Air Force, Rev. Yablonsky entered the seminary.  He studied for the priesthood at. St. Gregory, St. Mary of the West, and Xavier University, all in Cincinnati.  He earned a Masters' in Education from Xavier University.

He was ordained on May 31, 1959 by the Most Reverend Emmet M. Walsh in the Cathedral of St. Columba.

After his ordination, he served as associated pastor of St. Peter Parish in Canton.  Fr. Gabe decided to go back into the Air Force in 1965, only after he marched in Selma with Martin Luther King.  When asked why he marched with Dr. King, Fr. Gabe responded that he "felt strongly about the unfair treatment of the black community".

After returning to the Air Force, he was stationed at Randolph Air Force Base in San Antonio, Texas for two years. Fr. Gabe travelled extensively, having served as a chaplain in Alaska and then in Panama at Howard Air Force Base.  In 1969, he went to Vietnam for over a year and would often times be airlifted into the battlefield to give last rights to fallen soldiers.  After Vietnam, he was stationed in Mississippi, Oklahoma, Illinois and Hawaii.  He earned a medal of commendation for service in Alaska.

In July 1984, upon retirement from the Air Force with the rank of Lt. Col, he was appointed Pastor of St. Jude Parish in Columbiana.  In 1991, Father was appointed Pastor of St. Elizabeth Parish in Campbell, where he remained until his retirement in 1994.

His pastoral ministry also took him to St. Rose in Girard, Holy Trinity in Struthers and St. Mathias in Youngstown.  In 2009, he celebrated his 50th Anniversary as a priest in at St. Jude Parish in Columbiana.

In addition to his military and parish appointments, Fr. Gabe served on the Priest Council, as a team member for Marriage Encounter and as Chaplain for the Knights of Columbus Girard Council #2935 and Struthers Council 4224.

He was a big fan of St. Patrick's Day and would give everyone dispensation, so everyone could celebrate the day.  Fr. Gabe could always be found at any celebration singing "Danny Boy".

Fr. Gabe will always be remembered for his love of country, fellow man, always giving to others and when he saw something wrong, he always tried to fix it.

Rev. Yablonsky will be deeply missed by his many nieces; nephews; extended family and friends.

Besides his parents; he was preceded in death by his siblings, Fr. John Cyril, Helen and Joe Blasko, Marty and Helen Yablonovsky, Frank and Sophie Yablonsky, Theresa and Andy Kraynack, Mark Yablonovsky, Greg Yablonovsky, Paul Yablonovsky, Josef Yablonovsky, Anna Yablonovsky, Maria (Mary) Yablonovsky, Mary Ann Pirone, John Kountz, Erline Yablonovsky and Jude Yablonsky.

The Yablonsky, Yablonovsky, Kraynack, and Blasko familes' has entrusted their loved one to the care of the Wasko Funeral Home and will receive family and friends Saturday morning from 9-11:00 a.m. at the church, prior to the 11:00 a.m. funeral Mass.

The family would like to especially thank the Oblate Sisters for the loving care given to Fr. Gabe in his retirement, the Assumption Village during his ailing years and specifically Hospice of the Valley, who assisted with his journey home to Our Lord Jesus Christ.