Frank Leo

Leo, Frank James, 86, born on 31 October 1929 (Halloween), passed away on 2 September 2016. Retired Boeing Company, Modification Operations Manager. Visitation 6-8:00pm, Tuesday, Funeral Service 10:00am, Wednesday both at Broadway Mortuary. Graveside service 12:30 Wednesday, Piedmont Cemetery, Piedmont, KS. (East 400 highway mile Post 328). He was born at home on North Pine Street in Howard, Kansas. He was the youngest of three children of John and Rose Nix Leo. His father was a share cropper so they moved quite often, Frank attended seven schools before he graduated from grade school. He attended Howard High School for two years, then moved to Piedmont where he graduated in 1948. He met his wife Barbara in the summer of 1947 at the grade school graduation at Pearl Grade School, which is four miles south and one mile west of Piedmont. This grade school was where Frank started school. It was several months before they actually went on a date. They were married on February 28, 1948. After graduation he worked as a construction employee for several companies on the Fall River Dam, then in August of 1948, he joined the Army, he served three years and ended his enlistment on Guam. As soon as he returned home from the Army he went to work for the Boeing Company as a sheet metal mechanic for $1.06 per hour. While at Boeing he was sent to several Air Force Bases to perform different jobs on the B47’s. He was sent to Castle Air Force Base in 1956 to support the modifications on the B52’s and KC135’s, while there he was temporarily assigned to several different bases. When his son completed his freshman college classes, Frank realized that an education was very important. Frank started College, at Merced Junior High, in two years he received the scholastic award at his graduation on June 12 1970. His mother had come from Kansas to support her son at the graduation. They closed Castle down on July 1970, so Frank went to Guam to work there, in 1973 he was promoted to General Supervisor. While at Guam he completed his work on College assignments and he received his Business Administration Degree on May 17, 1973 and employment at Wichita was limited, he accepted a First Level Supervisors job. After several promotions and different assignments he was assigned as Modification Operations Manager for the two 747’s that were assigned to the Air Force as The Air Force One’s. With over forty-three years of service, he retired on February 1, 1995. After a year of retirement he accepted an assignment back at Boeing Wichita for a short period of time that lasted three years. He was preceded in death by his parents, John and Rose Leo; brother, Chios; sister, Anita Powers; son, Michael; grandson, William Leo. Survivors include loving wife Barbara. She has been devoted to Frank for 68 years; sons, Frank Jr., Larry (Carolyn) and LeRoy; grandchildren, Frank Leo III, Katherine Leo, Tara Leo, Tonya Harp, Tammy West, Crystal Coffelt, Eddie Alan, Cora Shahid, Nicholette Jones, Zachary Leo and Todd Leo, Seventeen great-grandchildren and two great-great-grandchildren and many cousins, nephews and nieces. In lieu of flowers, memorials may be made to the Piedmont Community Center, Piedmont, KS 67122. Share condolences and view extended obituary at www.CozineMemorial.com. Services by Broadway Mortuary.

Visitation

Time: 6:00pm - 8:00pm, Tuesday, September 6, 2016 Place: Broadway Mortuary Chapel
1147 S. Broadway, Wichita, KS 67211

Funeral Service

Time: 10:00am, Wednesday, September 7, 2016 Place: Broadway Mortuary Chapel
1147 S. Broadway, Wichita, KS 67211

Graveside Service

Time: 12:30pm, Wednesday, September 7, 2016 Place: Piedmont Cemetery
Old State Hwy 496, Piedmont, KS 67112

Memorials

Piedmont Community Center
Piedmont, KS 67122

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