Funeral services will be celebrated in St. Joseph Church, Trenton, for Abraham Lao Colon who died Dec. 7 in Robert Wood Johnson University Hospital, Hamilton. He was 81.

Mr. Lao Colon was the father of Marlene Lao-Collins, executive director of Catholic Charities, Diocese of Trenton.

Visiting hours will be held in St. Joseph Church Dec. 12 from 4 to 8 p.m. and Dec. 13 from 9 to 10 a.m. at which time the Funeral Mass will be celebrated. St. Joseph Church is located at 540 N. Olden Ave., Trenton, N.J. 08638.

Born in 1933 in Ponce, Puerto Rico, Mr. Lao Colon served in the U.S. Army during the Korean War, achieving the rank of sergeant. He received an honorable discharge in June, 1956. He was awarded a Purple Heart.

Following his military service, Mr. Lao Colon settled in Hoboken and married his wife, Margarita Ramos, in 1956. He retired as a truant officer from the Hoboken Board of Education in 1998. He was also a founding member of the Caparra Housing Development.

In St. Joseph Parish, Hoboken, he was active in many ministries, and, with his wife, were involved in the Catholic Charismatic Movement in the Newark Archdiocese.

Mr. Lao Colon and his wife relocated to Lawrenceville in 2000 and joined St. Joseph Parish, Trenton, where he founded founded the parish’s Santo Nombre (Holy Name Society); formed the Eucharistic Ministry; started the devotion to the Divine Mercy and was involved in the Grupo de Oracion (prayer group).

In addition to his wife, Margarita, daughter, Marlene Lao-Collins and her husband, Deacon Michael Collins, Mr. Lao Colon is survived by a son, Kelvin (Evelyn) of Shirley, N.Y.; six grandchildren; one great granddaughter, and many cousins, nieces and nephews.

In lieu of flowers, memorial donations may be made to Catholic Charities, Diocese of Trenton, 383 West State St., Trenton, N.J. 08618 or by visiting www.catholiccharitiestrenton.org.