LeRoy Lohfink
LeRoy Lohfink, age 90, passed away July 3, 2015 at Satanta Long Term Care Nursing Home with family by his side.
He was born April 23, 1925, in Fairview, Oklahoma to George and Elizabeth (Nichols) Lohfink. At the age of five, he and his family moved to Sublette, Kansas. LeRoy attended school in Sublette until “Uncle Sam” gave him a call and a uniform.
LeRoy served our nation as a member of the 776th Platoon U.S. Marine Corps during World War II and earned a Purple Heart while active in the Pacific Theater. When called again, he served our country in the Korean War. A life member of Legion Post 205 Sublette, he was proud to be a part of the annual Veteran’s Float in the Haskell County Fair Parade. LeRoy was humbled to be a part of the Honor Flight where he was able to join fellow veterans traveling to Washington, D.C. to see the WWII memorial firsthand.
After returning from service he was employed by Southwest Chevrolet as a mechanic where he worked for 25 years. He was also employed for 27 years by the Sublette Cooperative Inc. in the fertilizer department and as a fieldsman.
LeRoy loved life, people and adventure… he never met a stranger! In his young days he raced cars and owned an airplane. He passed along his sense of adventure to his grandchildren and great grandchildren who fondly remember rides on his Honda 70 motorcycle, fishing trips around the lake on the boat, driving the easy go around town and in his final days, his electric wheelchair through the halls of the nursing home. No matter the destination or adventure his grandchildren always knew grandpa would make it a trip worth taking. His last words were: “I am going fishing”… fishing he is.
Between tours of duty he married his sweetheart, Betty Jean Wilson, on February 9, 1952. They were married for 63 years before she died holding his hand. He is survived by three children; son, Rick Lohfink and wife Gayla of Holcomb, Kansas daughters, Penny Beakley and husband Mike of Magnolia, Texas, Jeannie Trigg and husband Paul of Sublette, Kansas; brother, John Lohfink; grandchildren, Jeremy Godwin and wife Kristina, Jessica Mai and husband Clayton, Ryan Lohfink, Travis Beakley and wife Kelley, Jamie Trigg, Jordan Lohfink, Lauren Lohfink and five great-grandchildren who all brought a sparkle to his eyes. He was preceded in death by parents; George and Elizabeth (Nichols) Lohfink, wife; Betty Jean Lohfink sisters; Matilda Wheeler and Flossie Wood, sister-in-law; Betty Lohfink and brother-in-law Oran Wood.
A memorial service will be held at 2:00 p.m. on Saturday, July 11, 2015 at the Sublette American Legion with pastor David Erwin presiding and military rites by the Sublette American Legion Post 205. There will be no visitation as his body has been donated to the University of Kansas Medical Center. Memorials are suggested to the Sublette American Legion in care of the Swaim Funeral Chapel – P.O. Box 607 – Sublette, KS 67877.
