Chick passed away at home on July 21, 2022 after a long illness. He was surrounded by his family.
Chick’s nickname was given to him by his brother, Ernest. As a child, Leonard was deathly afraid of family chickens chasing him around the yard, so brother Ernest called him Chick!! It stuck with him his whole life.
Chick lived his whole life in Pittsburg, except for a 2 year stint in the US Army. He was stationed at Fort Bragg, North Carolina in 1953.
After attending St. Mary’s school, he began working for Oehme Bros Masonry CO. He started as a laborer and began laying brick a few years later. He did this until the age of 75. He liked to tell people that he layed the “first” brick for the garfield weede field house at pitt state university.
His life dream was to be a farmer. At the age of 32 he bought a 1963 Farmall tractor and rented 40 acres from Clemons Coal CO. This was the beginning of Oehme farms. Today, this includes his son Tim, and grandson Dustin.
He was preceeded in death by both of his parents, Paul and Mary (VanBecelaere) Oehme, sister- Elizabeth Mason and 2 brothers; Ernest and Joseph.
He is survived by his wife of 69 years Bobbie Ann (Chancey) Oehme, son Tim Oehme(Trish) and daughter Cheri Griffith(Tim).
His 4 grandchildren held a special place in his heart, Dustin Oehme (Erica), Kristen Jefferson both of Pittsburg, Jordan Griffith (Carlos) of Atlanta and Stephanie Nagl (Matt) of Mission Kansas. They have given Chick 5 great-grandchildren.
A funeral mass will be said for Chick at Our Lady of Lourdes on Tuesday, July, 26, 2022 at 10 a.m. with the rosary at 9:30 a.m. Followed by burial at Highland Park. Informal visitation will be 4 p.m. to 7 p.m. on Monday, July 25, 2022 at the Bath-Naylor Funeral Home.
The family wishes to extend special thanks to the staff of Harry Hynes memorial hospice, especially Tammy and Darlene for their care of Chick.
In lieu of flowers, donations may be made to Our Lady of Lourdes Memorial Fund or the Harry Hynes Memorial Hospice. These may be mailed or dropped off at the funeral home; 522 s. Broadway Pittsburg, Kansas 66762 Arrangements are under the direction of Bath-Naylor Funeral Home of Pittsburg, KS.
