Rabon, Loren D., Age: 79, Little Silver

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Loren D. Rabon, age 79, of Little Silver, passed away Dec. 4 at Allaire Rehab and Nursing in Freehold after a long struggle with Alzheimer’s Disease. Loren was born in 1939 and raised in Kansas City, Kansas. He competed in numerous sports during high school and at Dodge City Jr. College before joining the U.S. Marine Corps in 1958. His service in the USMC included his duty in special services playing on the Marine Corps Football Team, and a highlight of his life was being chosen to play for the Marine Corps All-Stars at the Keystone Bowl in Okinawa, Japan, which they won.  

After returning from service, Loren met and married Linda Cox, then returned to college and graduated from his beloved University of Kansas with a Bachelor of Fine Arts in industrial design. When he was transferred by Butler Manufacturing to be the international sales representative in New York City, his family moved to Little Silver in 1967. In 1970 he established his own design/build pre-engineered construction company, Pre-Structured Building Systems in Fair Haven, which he and Linda owned until their retirement in 2011.

In gratitude and appreciation for the many blessings of his life, Loren went on to dedicate his life to service to his family, country, church, friends and community. He coached Cap League and Little League Baseball, and Fair Haven-Little Silver Tigers Pop Warner Football for many years. He was a member of St. John’s Episcopal Church and had served as a lay reader and vestryman; was a member of Monmouth Beach Bath and Tennis Club where he served many years on the board of trustees and as president; was a member and past president of the Briody Bunch; and was the founder and first president of the American Heart Association of Monmouth County. He was very proud to be a founding trustee of the Marine Corps Scholarship Foundation – Jersey Shore; and he served as a borough councilman as well as a member of numerous town committees in Little Silver. Loren was an avid tennis player and in his retirement years loved riding his bicycle up and down the Jersey Shore. 

Loren was predeceased by his parents, Forest and Margaret McBratney Rabon; his brothers Chester LeRoy Paine and Kenneth Paine; and sister Marjorie Paine Spence.

His family was the light of his life. He is survived by his beloved wife of almost 57 years Linda Cox Rabon of Little Silver and his children: Debbie Knutson Tomasi (Alan) of Brentwood, California; Lori Rabon Eskes (Daniel) of Freehold; Mark Rabon (Andrea) of Shrewsbury; and Alison Rabon Cuccia (Nick Healy) of Middletown. He is also survived by his adoring grandchildren: Loren Marie Shelton (Wade Palmer); Brittney Tomasi Majcher (Matthew); Virginia Shelton Fry (John Ryan); Nicole Rabon; Chelsea Rabon; Chelsea Tomasi; Jamie Shelton; Mallory Rabon; Jack Shelton; C.J. Cuccia; Maggie Cuccia; Lindsey Eskes; and great-grandson John Ryan Fry; as well as his brother Donald L. Rabon of Piper, Kansas and many nieces and nephews.

The family appreciates the care he received from VITAS Hospice Care and the staff of Allaire Rehab and Nursing.

A Memorial Gathering was held Dec. 9 at Thompson Memorial Home, Red Bank. A Memorial Service was held Dec. 10 at St. John’s Episcopal Church, Little Silver.

In lieu of flowers, donations may be made to the Marine Corps Scholarship Foundation, 909 N. Washington St., Suite 400, Alexandria, VA 22314 or to St. John’s Episcopal Church, 325 Little Silver Point Road, Little Silver, NJ 07739 to benefit its Sanctuary A/C Fund.