Mr. LeRoy Oehler

LeRoy (Roy) T. Oehler, a Buda resident, peacefully entered into eternal life on Wednesday December 20, 2017 at his home surrounded by the love and prayers of his large family and steadfast caregivers. He was blessed with an inquisitive mind, a love of learning, and gifted with remarkable abilities to connect with friends and family members of all ages throughout his long, rich life. He had a unique ability to make things happen for himself and those around him. Roy was born on August 26, 1921 in Lansing, Michigan the son of Irvin Carl Oehler and Adele (Schmithausen) Oehler. He was confirmed at Trinity Lutheran Church in 1934, graduated from Lansing Eastern High School in 1939 and Michigan State University with a B.S. in Civil Engineering in 1943. Early in World War II, Roy was employed as a Structural Engineer at Douglas Aircraft, Corporation in Los Angeles, California where he worked on fuselage design of the SBD Navy dive bomber to aid the war effort. A World War II veteran, he enlisted in the US Navy in July 1944 and served in the Pacific on the USS Boxer as an Electronic Technician Mate 3c prior to his Honorable Discharge in June 1946.

At the end of World War II, Roy returned to graduate school at the University of Illinois where he received a MS in Civil Engineering. He became an Assistant Professor of Civil Engineering at the University of Texas - Austin where he met his future wife, Mary Elizabeth (Beth) Barnes of Buda Texas who was a Home Economics major. They were married on June 17, 1950 at Buda United Methodist Church. Roy was accepted as a Fulbright Scholar in Civil Engineering studying at the Imperial College University of London. Roy shared many memorable stories of his newly married years and travels through Europe in the early 1950’s. Roy and Beth returned to the United States in the summer of 1952, when the couple moved to Lansing, Michigan and Roy began his career of nearly four decades with the Michigan Department of Transportation, retiring in 1986 as Director of Research of the Materials and Technology Division. Roy and Beth raised their family of four children, Phyllis, Sharon, Anne, and Lance in Okemos, Michigan. Roy fostered in his children a strong sense of family, a love of sports, and the importance of a strong work ethic and a good education. Roy was a long-time member of the East Lansing Tennis Club where he played until 89 years of age. He was a member of University Lutheran Church and Eastminster Presbyterian Church both in East Lansing, Michigan. In 2011, Roy decided to follow his wife’s dreams of retiring in Texas and at 90 years of age he researched log cabin homes and placed a log cabin home on the Barnes family ranch in Buda. He lived his final years building amenities in his cabin, planting trees, and enjoying visits with Beth who was living at Parkview Nursing and Rehabilitation Center in Lockhart, Texas. His children visited frequently during the more than 5 years he lived on the “ranch.”

In addition to his parents, Adele and Irvin, Roy was predeceased by his beloved wife, Beth in March 2017 and his sister, Eileen L. Oehler of Hastings, Michigan in October 2015. His sister-in-law, Mavis Barnes Hollyfield Kelton in 1995 and his brother-in-law, Emmett Frederick Barnes Jr. in May 2015 also predeceased him. He is survived by his four children, Phyllis (Bruce) Rowland of St. Charles, Illinois, Sharon (Dan) Harpstead of Cheyney, Pennsylvania, Anne (Greg) Reid of Wellington, Florida, and Lance Oehler of Buda, Texas. Roy’s legacy of persistence and hard work lives on through his 11 grandchildren. He was a proud, patient, and benevolent grandfather of Laura (Mark) Carroll, Amanda (Sean) Connors, Breanna (Sean) Walker, Brett (Aimie) Rowland, Abigail (Geoff) Ebersol, Justin Reid, Charles Reid, Matthew Rowland, Spencer Reid, Edward Harpstead, and Sarah Rowland. He was the biggest fan of each grandchild, attending many sporting events as they played high school and college sports. He has enjoyed visits and hearing stories about his 13 great grandchildren: Lauren, Bradley, Alyson, Charlotte, and Michael Connors, Tyler and Connor Carroll, Leah and Jason Walker, Benjamin and Nathanael Ebersol, and Wesley and Maxwell Rowland. He will be greatly missed by this generation who knew him only too briefly but who will forever relish the stories of his remarkable life they hear from their parents.

Other survivors include, his sister-in-law, Mary Faye Willms (Barnes) of Lockhart, Texas. Four nieces, Suzanne Hollyfield, Cecile Hollyfield, Melissa (Guy) Aldrich, and Melanie (Dave) Turner all of whom call Texas “home.”

Roy was highly attentive to the needs of his family throughout his life always looking out for the welfare of others. He enjoyed sharing his home with visiting family and made all feel welcome. He was an avid furniture builder and enjoyed using his skills to make beautiful pieces for his children and grandchildren. Roy enjoyed tending his plantings and creating beautiful spaces that he could share with others. Roy will be dearly missed by his children and their families.

The family would like to thank Compassionate Care Hospice, Redbud Home Health, and Angels for Elders for his care and support during the past year.