Leland "Lee" George Gerdes

Lee graduated from Humboldt High School in 1965. During High School, he worked as a farmhand for Jim Standerford, Lammert DeJonge, and other neighbors. On December 26, 1965, Lee married his childhood friend, Althea (Barnes) Gerdes at the Humboldt Methodist Church. Together they started building their family. Lee graduated from Diesel Mechanic School in Milford, Nebraska, in 1966.

Lee enlisted in the Air Force (139th civil engineer squadron) in 1967 and proudly served his country for a total of 38 years. Lee and his family lived in different places throughout the country while he was serving active duty in the military, including Gainesville, Florida, where his first son, Steven Lee Gerdes, was born in 1969. He was also deployed several times and traveled to many parts of the world, including Thailand, Panama, and Saudi Arabia. In 1972, he was stationed in Omaha, Nebraska, where his second son, Charles Craig Gerdes, was born while he was transitioning to the reserves.

Lee and Althea moved to Kansas City, Missouri, in 1972 where he started working for International Harvester as a heavy machinery mechanic. In 1975, they were blessed with their third child, and favorite daughter, Julie Marie Gerdes. In 1985, he began working for Kansas City Power and Light as a heavy equipment mechanic where he would later retire in 2019.

In his spare time, he enjoyed hunting both animals and the ladies (see below), farming specifically pumpkins for his grandchildren, bailing hay, collecting John Deere tractors and memorabilia, going to auctions to bid on pieces of equipment, and watching the Kansas City Chiefs (unless the Cowboys were playing). For his family, he worked hard and made sure to show up every day for everything, not just all the special moments. He was the guy that you could always rely on.

Lee is preceded in death by his parents; his sister, Alberta Cander; his son, Steve Gerdes; his former spouse, Althea (Barnes) Gerdes; his partner, Sue Walker; and brother-in-law, Tony Tesar.

He is survived by his sister, Peggy “Peg” Tesar; his brother-in-law, John Cander; his two children, Charlie (Angie) Gerdes and Julie Gerdes; his “other daughter,” Tina (Ken) Walker; his stepsons, Jimmy (Tabitha) Tawzer, Jeff (Brenda) Jones, and Jerry (Jennifer) Jones; his former spouse, Ann Jones; and his current partner, Rosemary Leavell, who cared for him until he lost his battle with cancer. He is also survived by his grandkids, Alexandria “Nick” (Jordan), Darron (Shy), Claudia (Sam), Sydney, Henry Gerdes, Sarah, Bethany, Jillian, Hayli (Ryan), James (Teia), Zachary, Caitlynn, Jordan, Ty, Chase, Tyler, and Megan; his great grandkids, Henna, Auggie, Lucas, Adam, Aiden, Sophie, Hazyl, and Ellie; his niece and nephew, Susanne (Aaron) Stalder and Tommy (Kari) Cander; his great niece and nephew, Mati and Andy Stalder; and many others who loved him greatly.

A visitation will be held in Kansas City, Missouri, on Thursday, August 21st, from 6-8 p.m. at the Kansas City Church located at 7700 North Church Road, Kansas City, Missouri, 64158.

A service will be held in Humboldt, Nebraska, on Tuesday, August 26th, at 2 p.m. at the Humboldt Methodist Church, located at 340 Nemaha Street, Humboldt, NE, 68376.

Condolences may be sent to the Humboldt Methodist Church or Wherry Mortuary in Humboldt, Nebraska.

Donations can be sent to Humboldt Garden Foundation, CharityNavigator.org/ein/843275750

Arrangements are under the direction of Church Archer Pasley Funeral Home, 816-781-2000.