| Notes |
- Obit:
Thursday July 17, 1995, Eastern Colorado Plainsman - Page 9
Obituary
Gwendal Leon Leonard
Gwendal Leon Leonard was born April 16, (1935), to Warren E. Leonard and Kathryn M. (Nicholas) Inness at their home 10 miles east of Karval.
He spent the early years working on the farm and was already driving wheat trucks to Hugo at the age of 10 for Jim Middleton. At the age of 18 he married his childhood sweetheart in June of 1953. They started their family in a small house one mile east of Karval.
During the time they were building their family, Gwendal worked different places and jobs such as farming and truck driving. In 1959 he started working for the county road and bridge crew as a transportation safety technician (better known as a "grader man").
In 1970 he went to work for his father on the ranch east of Karval and later moved his family to the present homestead four miles east of Karval. It was during this time that he became the mentor to his children as they participated in school, sports, music, ranching and learning the general principles to prepare them for life. It was also during this time that they perfected the fine art of chasing coyotes and antelope, and especially to watch out for ravines and old basements.
He started his community leadership in the early 60's by umpiring Little League, Babe Ruth and town team baseball. He and his wife became 4-H general leaders in 1965 where they led for 15 years. During this time he taught many young people how to square dance. After several years of farming and ranching he decided to run for county commissioner in 1981. After winning the election he served two terms from 1982 to 1990 as the best darn commissioner that Lincoln County ever had.
During and after his term as commissioner his life branched out into many directions by joining lots of different organizations. He was a charter member of both the Karval Lions Club and the Karval Volunteer Fire Department where he served in most leadership roles in each organization.
He also served on the Lincoln County EMS Council, the Alumni Association and the Lincoln County Stockmen's Association where he was the past president. In 1991 he became a member of the Lincoln Community Hospital Board where he was presently serving as chairman of the board.
He served in a number of capacities in many other organizations and was always willing to lend a helping hand. During the course of his life some of his understudies included Red Skelton and the Smothers Brothers. It is probably because of these people that we enjoyed knowing him as a Homecoming Clown, Santa Claus, Tail Twister and overall entertainer and jokester wherever he went.
Gwendal was diagnosed as having leukemia on April 22, 1995, and although he fought the disease with all his mite, he passed away July 15, 1995 at Memorial Hospital in Colorado Springs at the age of 60.
Gwendal is survived by his wife, Pat, his five sons, Allen and children Aaron, Adam and Cybil of Colorado Springs; Leon and his wife, Sandy, and their children Brooke, of Ordway; and Bill and Bill's wife, Tina., of Fowler (Gwendal's first great-grandchild is soon to arrive and is sure to be Bill and Tina's joy in their time of sorrow); his son Larry and his wife, Cindy and their children, Levi, Zane and Jake of Karval; Carlos and wife, Michelle and children, Tiffany, Shaun, and Colton of Karval, and Jenisha and Shayla Bowerman of Colorado Springs; Patrick and wife, Ginny, and children Micheal, Amanda, Jessica and Ashleigh of Karval; one daughter, Enola, of Colorado Springs. He is also survived by his sister, Onnalee Harrell and husband, Millard, and children Gwendolyn and Kelby and Kelby's wife, Stephanie of Elkhart, Kan.; his mother, Katheryn Innes of Elkhart, Kan., his mother in law Gladys Sherman of La Junta, a brother-in-law, Bill Sherman and wife Sandy; sister-in-law Ruth Wheeler and Guy Simone. Gwendal and Pat also provided a home for 17 foster children including Theresa, Sheryl, Bandon, Willie and Justin. He is also survived by many aunts, uncles and cousins, as well as his step-mother Marvis June of Limon.
Funeral Services were held July 19 at the Karval School with Rev. Ron Clark officiating. The musical selection were a 'Tribute To Dad'. Casket bearers were Robert Elliot, Robert Webb, Robert Williams, Darrel Dutro, Lyle Hilferty, Robert Capps, Carl Johnson and Keith Capps. Honorary escorts were the Karval Lions Club, Karval Fire Department, Lincoln Community Hospital, Memorial Hospital Oncology, EMS Council, Lincoln County Stockmen, Lincoln County employees and the 4-H Foundation.
Burial was in the Bucklen Cemetery in Karval.
Memorials may be sent to the Karval Fire Department or the Karval Nazarene Church.
Died:
- Obituary
GWENDAL LEON LEONARD (4-16-1935 to 7-15-1995)
Gwendal Leon Leonard was born April 16, 1935 to Warren E. Leonard and Kathryn M. (Nicholas) Inness at their home, 10 miles east of Karval.
Gwendal spent his early years working on the farm and was driving wheat trucks to Hugo at the age of 10 for Jim Middleton. At the age of 18 he married his childhood sweetheart, June 13, 1953. They started their family in a small house one mile east of Karval.
During their time they were building their family, Gwendal worked different places and jobs, such as farming and truck driving. In 1959 he started working for the county road and bridge crew as a transportation safety technician (better known as a “grader man”).
In 1970 he went to work for his father on the ranch east of Karval and later moved his family to the present homestead four miles east of Karval. It was during this time that he became the mentor to his children as they participated in school sports, music, ranching and learning the general principles to prepare them for life. It was also during this time that they perfected the fine art of chasing coyotes and antelope, which taught them to watch out for ravines and old basements.
Gwendal started his community leadership in the early 60’s by umpiring Little League, Babe Ruth and town team baseball, He and his wife, Pat, became 4-H general leaders in 1965, where they led for 15 years. During this time he taught many young people how to square dance.
After several years of farming and ranching, Gwendal decided to run for county commissioner in 1981. After winning the election, he served two terms from 1982 to 1990 as the best darn commissioner that Lincoln County ever had.
During and after his term as commissioner, his life branched out into many directions by joining many different organizations. He was a charter member of both the Karval Lions Club and the Karval Volunteer Fire Department, where he served in most leadership roles in each organization. He also served on the Lincoln County EMS Council, the Alumni Association and the Lincoln County Community Hospital Board, where he was presently serving as chairman of the board. He served in a number of capacities in many other organizations and was always willing to lend a helping hand.
During the course of his life, some of his understudies included Red Skelton and the Smothers Brothers. It is probably because of these people that we enjoyed knowing him as a Homecoming Clown, Santa Claus, Tail Twister and overall entertainer and jokester wherever he went.
Gwendal was diagnosed as having leukemia on April 22, 1995, and although he fought the disease with all his might, he passed away July 15, 1995 at Memorial Hospital in Colorado Springs at the age of 60.
Gwendal is survived by his wife, Pat, his five sons: Allen and children, Aaron, Adam and Cybil of Colorado Springs; Leon and his wife, Sandy and their children, Brooke of Ordway and Bill and Bill’s wife, Tina of Fowler. (Gwendal’s first great-grandchild is soon to arrive and is sure to be Bill and Tina’s joy in their time of sorrow); his son Larry and his wife Cindy and their children, Levi, Zane and Jake of Karval; Carlos and his wife, Michelle and their children, Tiffany, Shaun and Colton of Karval and Jenisha and Shayla Bowerman of Colorado Springs; Patrick and his wife Ginny, and their children Micheal, Amanda, Jessica and Ashleigh of Karval; one daughter, Enola, of Colorado Springs. He is also survived by his mother, Kathryn Inness of Elkhart, KS, his sister Onnalee Harrell and her husband, Millard and their children Kelby and his wife Stephanie of Hutchinson and Gwendolyn of Salina; his mother in law, Gladys Sherman of La Junta, a brother in law, Bill Sherman and wife Sandy; sister in law Ruth Wheeler and Guy Simone. Gwendal and Pat also provided a home for 17 foster children, including Theresa, Sheryl, Brandon, Willie and Justin. He is also survived by many aunts, uncles and cousins as well as his step mother, Marvis June of Limon.
Funeral Services were held July 19, 1995 at the Karval School with Rev. Ron Clark officiating. The musical selection was a ‘Tribute To Dad’.
Casket bearers were Robert Elliot, Robert Webb, Robert Williams, Darrel Dutro, Lyle Hilferty, Robert Capps, Carl Johnson and Keith Capps. Honorary escorts were the EMS Council, Lincoln County Stockmen, Lincoln County employees and the 4-H Foundation.
Burial was in the Bucklen Cemetery in Karval.
Memorials were sent to the Karval Fire Department or the Karval Church of the Nazarene.
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1935 - 1995 (60 years)
