John Leder

Funeral services will be 10:00am Tuesday, May 6, 2025, at St. James Lutheran Church Bettendorf, IA. Burial will follow at the National Cemetery Rock Island, IL. Memorials may be made to Unity Point Hospice, 106 19th Ave Unit 101 Moline, IL 61265 or Honor Flight of The Quad Cities, 4130 Northwest Blvd. Davenport, IA 52806. Please share condolences with the family at www.rungemortuary.com.

John was born on May 2, 1927, in Oklahoma City, Oklahoma to John and Bessie Leder.

He was beloved by family and friends, a hardworking, kind and generous man with a wonderful, playful sense of humor. His greatest joy came from being with family of all generations.

John was a World War ll veteran serving in the United States Marine Corps 1945-1946. He earned a degree in Horology, which involves the design, construction and maintenance of clocks, watches, and other timepieces, from Bradley University in Peoria, Illinois in 1951. John worked for nearly 40 years in Davenport, Iowa as an Engineering Technician for the Bendix Corporation and Litton Industries. He worked on Defense and Aerospace projects during the Vietnam War and the Apollo programs. His duties included building Mini Coolers, an apparatus designed to keep astronauts and pilots cool in flight. For his achievements, he was entered into the Congressional Record by Iowa Congressman Harold Hughes.

John was an active member of Kaaba Shrine, Mohassan Grotto, and Masonic Temple, where he achieved Master Rank status. He found great pleasure in assisting children in need of care, by transporting them to the Shriners Hospital in Chicago. He coached girls’ softball and boys little league baseball for many years.

John is survived by his spouse, Roberta Leder, daughters Jane McGarry (Robert McGarry), Margaret Sands (John Sands) and son Roland Leder (Ruth Leder), son-in-law, Leigh Smith stepchildren Renee Kirlin (Roger Kirlin), Greg Beaman (Lorrie Beaman), Lonnie Beaman (Michelle Beaman), grandchildren Erin McGarry, Brian McGarry (Jennifer McGarry), Megan Keiser (Rob Keiser), Travis Leder, and Natalie Leder, step grandchildren Broderick Ambrose (Lindsey Ambrose), Kelly Schill (Toby Schill), and Konnor Beaman, great grandchildren Elyse Jane McGarry, Lillian Belle Keiser, step great grandchildren Hunter and Henry Schill, Leo and Berkley Ambrose.

Those preceded in death include Mary Carolyn Leder and Juliet Smith.