Joseph Henry Leeah of El Paso, Texas, passed away on April 3, 2021 in the early morning, at the age of 94. After a long battle with declining health, Joseph left his earthly presence and continued his journey into the hereafter.
Joseph (Joe) was born in Houston, Texas on July 4, 1926, to father, James Alva and mother, Alma A. (Veil) Leeah and was the youngest of three children. When Joe was about 8, his father moved his family from Houston to West Texas for a mining job in Van Horn, Texas. Joe remembered traveling across Texas on dirt roads in a Model A, loaded with the entire family and all their belongings; not to mention the dog on the running board. He spent the rest of his childhood in Sierra Blanca, Texas. He told many stories of his life growing up in West Texas. The desert-mountains were a wonderful place to go hunting and exploring. Then WWII happened. He left Sierra Blanca High School early to join the Navy at the age of 17.
On July 13, 1944, Joe was officially inducted into the US Naval Service as a Motor Machinist on board the USS Bowie APA-137 in San Diego, California. Ultimately, he was stationed in the South Pacific. Anyone who knew Joe realized how much he valued his service in the Navy and how proud he was to be an American. After all, he was born on the 4th of July!
At the end of the war, Joseph returned to Sierra Blanca. In 1946, he married Betty Jean McLure. They moved to Houston, Texas where he worked at the Pin Oaks Stable and Harness Racing Track for J. S. Abercrombie. Not long after, he was transferred to Gonzales, Texas where he became the Shop Foreman at the Abercrombie Ranch. He and Betty Jean loved the ranch and it was not long after before the family grew. All four children were born in Gonzales. In 1959 he and Jean decided they needed to be closer to family, so they moved back to West Texas. Joe found work in El Paso as superintendent with Borsberry Construction where he remained employed for the next 19 years. During that time, he completed some major construction projects, such as the river road from Presidio to Lajitas and paved roads in Big Bend National Park. 1979 brought a new adventure. Big trucks were exciting in the 1980’s. He joined a couple of his sons and drove trucks for about 9 years and then downsized to maintenance of equipment for the next 10 years. Joe had a lifelong love of golf and this allowed him to get out and play the game. He and Jean would go on golf vacations which would take them to different parts of the country. Amazingly, as Joe got older, he developed Macular Degeneration which made golf more difficult but, somehow, he managed to get a Hole in One at the age of 80. Newspaper said, “Blind man gets Hole in One”
Joe is survived by his wife, Betty Jean; daughter, Linda Page; sons and their spouses, Joseph W. Leeah, John A. and Donna Leeah and Jack D. and Susan Leeah; grandchildren, Jessica Leeah, Justin Leeah, Melilssa Leeah, John Dallas Leeah and Lindsay Leeah; and 10 great-grandchildren. Joseph was preceded in death by his parents and by his brother, James Leeah and sister, Mary Booth.
The family would like to express their appreciation to all the wonderful caregivers over the years. Jennifer Vasquez, Irene Galindo, Lucy Martinez , Gloria Tarin, Connie Estrada and Debra, Jesssica and Jason De Brabant were there for Joe during all the good and all the bad times.
A memorial Service will be held on Thursday, April 8, 2021 at Hillcrest Baptist Church, 4710 Hercules Ave., Texas at 10:00 AM. Jason De Brabant, will be officiating. Friends and family are invited to celebrate Joe and sign the guest book. Burial will take place in Sierra Blanca, TX at a future date.
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