John Leslie was born July 28, 1938 in Wichita, Kansas, the only child of John Howell Leslie and Pauline Elizabeth (Ashworth) Leslie. He departed this life on November 4, 2026 in Wichita.
He attended St. Joseph parochial school and graduated from St. Mary’s Cathedral High School. After graduation, he enrolled at the University of Wichita to pursue a degree in industrial engineering.
On January 22, 1961 he married Sheba Hash. To this union were born three children, Karen, Chris and Brian. After graduation from the University he moved to Cincinnati, OH to work for General Electric. He returned to Wichita and worked as an analyst at the Boeing Company.
In 1962, he began a 15-year career in the Industrial Engineering Department at the University of Wichita. During this time, he earned his Master’s degree in Mechanical Engineering and a doctorate from Oklahoma State University in Industrial Engineering Management.
While at Wichita State, Dr. Leslie was one of the first in the nation to initiate a Fire Science Technology Program to provide a formal educational program for firefighters. To this day, this program has contributed to the safety of hundreds of men and women.
Later he turned his attention to the new field of rehabilitation engineering, which applies engineering solutions for disabled persons in their homes and places of work. He was a founding member of the Rehabilitation Engineering Society of North America. During this time, he served as a consultant and provided training to facilities and governmental agencies in Egypt, Poland and India, as well as dozens of facilities across the United States.
Locally, he served on the Board of Directors for the Midway Kansas Chapter of the Red Cross and Senior Services, Inc. of Wichita. John’s life was a life well-lived and his contributions will leave a ripple effect that will be felt for years to come.
He is survived by his daughter, Karen; son, Chris; daughter in law, Jill; his beloved grandchildren, Hogan, Olivia, Emily and Tate; and four great grandchildren. He was preceded in death by his parents, his wife of 60 years, Sheba, and son, Brian.
A come & go visitation will be held at Lakeview Funeral Home, 12100 E. 13th Street N., Wichita, Kansas 67206, on Friday, November 13, 2026, from 4:00 pm to 7:00 pm.
A Rosary Service will take place at St. Joseph Catholic Church, 132 S. Millwood Avenue, Wichita, Kansas 67213, on Saturday, November 14, 2026, at 10:00 a.m., followed by the Funeral Mass at 10:30 a.m.
The Committal Service will take place after the Funeral Mass, at Lakeview Cemetery, in the Garden of Cross, 12100 E. 13th Street N., Wichita, Kansas 67206.
In lieu of flowers, memorial contributions in John's memory can be made to the Sedgwick County Zoo, 5555 W. Zoo Blvd., Wichita, Kansas 67212.
