He was born in Paonia, Colorado, on April 23, 1930, to Leo Ellsworth and Mary Lillian (Green) Wolfe, and was the youngest of three siblings: brother Harry Wolfe (deceased) and sister Wilma (Phillis). Leonard married the love of his life, Jessie Jean (Thomas) Wolfe, on February 11, 1951, and they were blessed to celebrate over 68 years of marriage. Together they raised three children; Steve, Stan and Deanna.
Leonard attended elementary and junior high school in Gunnison, Colorado, and graduated from Palisade High School where he met Jean during his senior year. After graduation in 1948, Leonard enlisted in the US Army and served as a 1st Lieutenant after completing OCS. He completed 7 years of active duty during the Korean War, then served an additional 6 years with the 10th Mountain Division of the Army Reserve. Leonard and Jean lived for a short time in Japan during his service in Korea.
His employment history included working for Atomic Energy, American Gilsonite, and the Denver & Rio Grande Railroad where he retired after 30 years in maintenance and communications.
Leonard was a man of service. He was President and Vice President of the Mesa County School Board, being privileged to hand his daughter, Deanna, her high school diploma upon graduation. He was also President and Vice President of the Rio Grande Veterans Club. Leonard and Jean attended Grand Junction and Palisade Nazarene churches where Leonard was a lifelong member. He was especially fond of serving in the children’s and youth ministries. Later on, some of his favorite mornings were the ones he spent at the men’s breakfasts.
Leonard loved to grow his beard for the holiday season--one of the best Santa beards you have ever seen. Jean wasn’t so fond of that beard, but his grandchildren loved Santa Grandpa. They remember Grandpa Leonard for his silly jokes and stories. We will always remember his whistling as he worked on a project or getting in Grandma’s way in the kitchen surprising her with a crazy song & dance and making her smile. Sunday dinner after church was always an affair--a full table with all the food and family where he would lead us in prayer. Leonard would also give his best effort on Christmas to read the Story of Jesus’ birth from his bible while the grandchildren impatiently tried to get to the presents.
Leonard lived most of his life in the Grand Valley, working many harvests of apples and peaches--he loved Jean’s peach cobbler. As an avid hunter and fisherman, many seasons were spent on the Mesa with his sons and grandsons chasing elk and deer, and there were many wonderful fishing trips with Jean at Vega Reservoir (with their grandchildren catching all the fish). In his retirement he loved “working” at Chipeta Golf Course as a course marshal where he thought it great to receive discounted green fees and a chance to chat up anyone who would listen to his jokes and stories.
Another of Leonard’s passions after retirement was many hours spent researching his family history—a passion passed on to his grandchildren along with a collection of the information he discovered about past relatives.
Leonard is survived by his loving wife, Jessie Jean Wolfe of Grand Junction, Colorado, his children, Steve (Coni Odelberg) Wolfe of Cedaredge, Colorado, Stan (Vickie Jacobson) Wolfe of Mack, Colorado, and Deanna and Harry Herman of Lakeside, California; his grandchildren, Adam (Melissa) Wolfe, Brady (Liana) Wolfe, Leland (Sandra) Wolfe, Leslie (Wolfe) and Eric Weiss, Emily (Herman) and William Brunson, Jody (Crissy) Herman, and Jessica (Herman) and Cameron Reid; his great-grandchildren, Alannah, Domenic, Eva, Cameron, Caleb, Julia, Alicia, Linnea, Ada, Maverick, Selina, Ryder, Cage, and Nova. Leonard is also survived by his sister, Wilma Phillis of Grand Junction, along with numerous nephews and nieces.
Services will be held on Monday, August 26, 2019, at 9:00 a.m. at Martin’s Mortuary in Grand Junction with internment following at Memorial Gardens at 11:00 am.
In lieu of flowers, the family requests donations to Hope West at 3090 North 12th Street, #B, Grand Junction, Colorado 81506 or to the Youth and Children’s Ministry of the Palisade Church of the Nazarene, 3595 Front Street, Palisade, Colorado 81526.
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