F.M. Lethco

F. M. was born April 19, 1931 in Ding Dong, TX to Jesse Thomas and Ollie Effie (Neal) Lethco. He lived most of his life here next to the Lampasas River. At 13 years of age, he left the family farm and went to West Texas working on his uncles’ ranch as a ranch hand until he joined the Navy in 1948. After serving his country on the USS Archernar, and receiving an honorable medical discharge in 1949, he served in the U.S. Naval Reserves until 1955. He moved back home and went to work at Killeen Lumber Co. and then Allied Lumber Co. as manager until 1969. Then he started Lethco Construction Company and built houses until his retirement, where he could spend all of his time on his beloved ranch, raising cattle, sheep and goats. He also loved to clear brush off the ranch with his dozer and fight with his pesky mesquite trees.

He married Nellie Ruth Cosper on January 17, 1953 and lived together more than 52 years until her death on November 25, 2005.

F. M. was a past member of the Central Texas Homebuilders Association, a life member of the VFW Post 9192, and past member of the American Legion Post 223.

He is survived by his children, Mark Lethco and his wife, Lisa, of Killeen, Rhonda Archer and her husband, Ricky, of Bryan, Lisa Rother of Killeen, and Karen Lethco of Florence; eight grandchildren, Wesley Archer and his wife, Leanne, Shawn Easley and his wife, Amanda, Jason Archer and his wife, Katee, Ryan Applequist and his wife, Canda, Brooke Yancey, Justin Lethco, Lindsey Applequist, Travis Applequist; 2 step-grandchildren, Cassidy Quick, Cody Brinkley; 3 great grandchildren, Cayson Applequist, Avery Archer, and Kolby Archer; six step great grandchildren, Mason Quick, Trenton Quick, Aiden Quick, Craig Kirby, Logan Rivera, and Camden Reynolds; a sister, Annie Tucker of New Braunfels; and numerous nieces, nephews and friends.

The Lethco family will receive guests for a time of visitation from 6-8 p.m. Thursday, December 9, 2010 at Crawford-Bowers Funeral Home in Killeen.

Funeral services will be 10:00 A.M. Friday, December 10, 2010 at Immanuel Lutheran Church, 1104 North 4th Street in Killeen. Interment services will follow at Live Oak Cemetery in Youngsport.

Memorials may be made to Immanuel Lutheran Church Building Fund, 1104 N. 4th St., Killeen, TX 76541 or to the American Heart Association, P.O. Box 15186, Austin, TX 78761, 800-242-8721, www.Americanheart.org.

Services have been entrusted to the care of Crawford-Bowers Funeral Home in Killeen.

Words of comfort may be made at www.crawfordbowersfuneralhome.com.