Richard Anthony Laabs

Richard Anthony Laabs, 59, died January 9 at his home in Yucaipa from melanoma complications. He was a teacher and coach in the Redlands Unified School District for 25 years and served as president of the Redlands Teachers Association for 10 years. He was born August, 16, 1950 on Quonset Point Naval Air Station in North Kingston, Rhode Island, to the late Robert and Hope Laabs. Rich was the second of five sons in the navy family and traveled throughout the country with his brothers, residing in Rhode Island, Arizona, Georgia, Hawaii and California. He was devoted to his wife, Francine. They were married in 1993. Rich graduated from Bishop Hendricken High School in 1968, where he lettered in baseball, basketball and football. He attended Rhode Island College, where he played baseball and became a brother of Zeta Chi fraternity. He received his B.A. in Liberal Arts from Cal State University, San Bernardino in 1985. There Rich found his niche teaching special needs children, coaching youth baseball and fighting for teachers rights. Rich instilled his passion for baseball into the players he coached at Redlands High School and Redlands East Valley and to his children Kaitlyn and R.J. Rich was an athlete, coach, guitarist, comedian, entertainer and a life-long traveler. He will be remembered as a colorful storyteller, a staunch advocate for educators and a devoted family man. He is survived by his daughter, Kaitlyn, of Providence, Rhode Island; his son R.J. Redlands; his brother John A. and sister-in-law Cindy of Yucaipa; his brother-in-law Keith Hoshal of Los Angeles; his sister-in-law Deborah Alvers of Yucaipa; his mom Leah Rice of Yucaipa and his loving wife, Francine of Yucaipa. A prayer vigil will be held from 6-8 P.M., Friday, January 15 at the Emmerson Bartlett Memorial Chapel, 35208 Yucaipa Blvd. The funeral mass will be 9A.M. on Saturday, January 16, at St. Frances X Cabrini Catholic Church, 12687 California St., Yucaipa. In lieu of flowers, donations can be made to the Redlands East Valley High School Baseball Boosters, 31000 East Colton Ave., Redlands, CA 92374, The Angeles Clinic Foundation, 2001 Santa Monica Blvd, 560W, Santa Monica, CA 90404 or Redlands Community Hospital Hospice, 350 Terracina Blvd., Redlands, CA 92373.