Cambridge – John David Lybert passed away at the Center for Nursing and Rehabilitation at Hoosick Falls on Tuesday, January 14, 2025. A longtime resident of Cambridge, NY, John was preceded in death by his wife, Marjorie Lybert in 1997 after 35 years of marriage. He was also predeceased by his brother, Elmer Jay Lybert, who passed away on June 15, 2019. During his retirement, John was a passionate cruiser, going on four cruises every year while his health permitted, and could sometimes be convinced to join family during the holidays with the promise of an omelet breakfast.

John was born in Freeport, IL on July 7, 1936 to Elmer and Mildred Lybert. When John was three years old, he and his family moved to the Bronx in New York City. He attended school in the Bronx, first at P.S. 9 and then at Savior Christian Day School. During the summers, he would go with his family to visit Marian, NY where his Uncle Henry owned a farm.

In 1949, the family moved to Cambridge, NY and bought the old Shaw farmhouse on State Route 313. John graduated from Cambridge Central School in 1954. From 1954 to 1956, John attended Delhi College, where he received an Associate’s Degree in Building Construction. Then from 1956 to 1957, he went to Hudson Valley Community College and received another Associate’s Degree in Highway Technology. John was hired by the New York State Department of Transportation in 1957 as an Engineer Technician, thus beginning a 46-year career with the State of New York. He became a Senior Engineer in 1958.

In 1959, John was drafted into the U.S. Army. He was stationed in Fort Riley, KS, where he remained until 1962. The same year he left Fort Riley, John married Marjorie Timely in Philadelphia, PA. After his discharge from the Army in 1963, John returned to his work with the State of New York as a principal engineer. John assisted in the design of a number of highway and bridge projects, including Route 313, Route 22, 78 Essex County, Washington Avenue Extension, Karner Road, and the Great Western Gateway Bridge. John later became interested in the field of computer data programming and changed his job at the State in 1968. He was in charge of drafting special unit designs. In 1977, he was completely involved in engineering computer systems.

John retired from the state in 2003. John spoke fondly of his career with New York State, once recounting being invited to lunch along with a few other State employees by Lake George amusement park developer, Charles Wood. John and his wife maintained a large collection of animals around their home, including dogs, cats, and chickens, whose eggs he would sometimes bring to the office to sell to his Albany-based coworkers.

John is survived by his two children, Marjorie Peters and John Lybert, Jr., his son-in-law, Ken Peters, and his daughter-in-law, Dana Nolan. He is also survived by his six grandchildren, Ashley Lajara, Jesse, Timothy, and Brady Lybert, Hunter and Nicholas Peters, two step-grandchildren, Augustus and Isaac Morse, and his two great-grandchildren, Gabriel and Finley Lajara.

No services will be held at this time.