Earl James Leeder

Earl was born in Janesville, Wisconsin to Archie and Sarah Leeder on April 23, 1927. Earl was the fourth of nine children. At an early age Earl suffered severe burns on his legs and spent many months recovering in the hospital. Earl loved music and at age ten, played guitar and sang for the Amateur Hour in Chicago and won first place. Earl had a great desire to follow his brothers into the military and tried many times to enlist. Due to burns and skin grafting on his legs, he was not accepted until he went to Chicago and the Army allowed him to serve at Fort Knox, Kentucky for a short while. Upon discovering the wounds on his legs, he was given an honorable discharge on May 5, 1947. Earl never talked much about his time in the military but his son in law loved his stories about him being in the ‘mop brigade’.

While living with his oldest brother Leo, Earl attended a revival service and recognized his need for God’s saving grace. He never turned back and it became his heart’s desire to share the love of Jesus with everyone he met. He decided to attend St. Paul Bible Institute as a music degree student and there, met the love of his life, Helen. They were married on February 23, 1952 at the Christian and Missionary Alliance Church in Austin. Earl and Helen have always been strongly connected to the church. Earl often sang solos, served as music director and participated in a local radio bible broadcast.

Earl had many jobs in his life. Far too many to list. Some of his early jobs included being a soda jerk and drug store clerk and newspaper delivery boy. He was a carpenter’s helper with his father in San Diego, a mail sorter at the railway terminal in St. Paul, Minnesota. Earl worked for General Motors in Janesville on the auto assembly line. He also sold Filter Queen vacuum cleaners for a while but only sold one, to Helen. Earl retired from the Texas Workers Compensation Commission in 1990 with 35 years of State service. Earl received art lessons as a retirement gift from his daughter. He loved painting for many years and produced many beautiful paintings which his family treasures.

After retirement, Earl enjoyed being the good neighbor. Always with a servant’s heart, on long walks in the neighborhood, Earl would move the neighbors trash cans and newspapers up to the garage doors and front porches. He always had biscuits in his pocket for his four-legged friends along the way. Earl and Helen have lived in the same house since 1963. Earl never met a stranger and he was loved by everyone. Earl was a kind and gentle man. His faith in God was no secret and he was eager to share it with everyone he met.

Earl was preceded in death by his parents and five siblings. He is survived by his loving wife, Helen; his daughters, Ruth Ann and her husband Kirby (Cossey), Cindy and her husband Larry (Luckie); his grandson, Earl and his wife Emily; and great-granddaughter, Cassidy. He is also survived by sisters, Beth and husband Dick (Fladmark), Sally and husband Orv (Schindler); brother, John and wife Karen Leeder; and sister-in-law; Mary Jo Leeder.

The family would like to express our thanks and appreciation to Guiding Hospice and Hearthstone Health Care for their loving care of Earl.

In lieu of flowers, donations can be made to KHCB (Keeping Him Close By) listener supported Christian radio: www.khcb.org