George Leroy Letcher

George LeRoy Letcher, 83, recently of Gardner, KS, passed away on Saturday, July 22, 2023. He was born May 6, 1940 to George F. And Gladys V. Letcher in Enid, Oklahoma.

He attended school in Enid, graduating from Enid High School in 1958. From an early age, he loved reading, learning new things, collecting books, and especially loved studying mathematics and physics. After high school graduation, George moved to Chicago, Illinois to take college courses. He loved living in Chicago, and it is there that he met the love of his life, Diane Marie Lambert.

George and Diane were married at Maternity of the Blessed Virgin Mary Church in September of 1961. While they lived in Chicago, they had two daughters, Jeanise, born in 1962, and Carlene, born in 1963. Before the birth of their first son, they moved to Enid, Oklahoma where they raised their growing family. James was born in 1965, and he was joined by another sister, Carol in 1966. In 1973, their youngest son, John, was born. All of the family attended mass at St. Francis Xavier parish in Enid where all of their children were baptized, received the sacraments and were confirmed.

George was an active volunteer at St. Francis Church. He acted as a building supervisor on Sundays when the CCD classes met in the classrooms of St. Joseph School. He made fresh coffee, helped when they served donuts after masses, and opened all the classrooms for Sunday classes. After classes, he cleaned up and locked the doors before joining his family for mass.

In 1973, one of the members of the Knights of Columbus Council 1044 invited him to join. It was only then that they learned that George was not a confirmed Catholic. He joined the RCIA class that year and was confirmed and took his first Holy Communion at St. Francis Xavier Church in early 1974. He then became a member of the Knights of Columbus in April 1974. George was actively involved in the K of C throughout his years living in Enid. His council actively supported the Center of Family Love in Okarche, OK through a variety of fund-raisers and weekly bingo games. George served several terms as Grand Knight of the council. He was also the Faithful Navigator as well as District Deputy. All of George's family were enlisted in helping with KofC activities, helping to set up and serve donuts on Sundays and helping with pancake feeds on Sunday mornings as well; George has a notebook full of Knight of the Month and Family of the Month certificates. George developed the habit of praying the rosary while driving, a habit all of his children remember.

In 1981, while working at Speedstar Corporation, George began to study at Phillips University in Enid. He graduated in 1985 with a Bachelor's of Science degree in Accounting. In 2005, after they both retired, George and Diane moved to Atchison, KS where George pursued a life-long dream by taking mathematics courses, at Benedictine College, Carlene's alma mater. In 2015, George and Diane moved to Topeka, Kansas, and they celebrated 61 years of marriage in 2022. George and Diane had just moved to Gardner, KS when George's illness sent him to the hospital and then to Olathe Hospice House where he passed into the heavenly realm on July 22, 2023.

George is survived by his loving wife, Diane Letcher; children, Jeanise Reynolds, Carlene Stueve, James Letcher, Carol Sneed, and John Letcher; grandchildren, Tamira Crawford, Heather Martin, Christian Stueve, Michael Stueve, Christopher Letcher, Brian Letcher, Kourtney Sneed, and Conner Sneed; and five great grandchildren.

He was preceded in death by his parents, George and Gladys, and his brother, Bill, who joined our Lord in heaven in 2018.

A Mass of Christian Burial will be held at 10:00am on Monday, July, 24, 2023, at St. Paul Catholic Church in Olathe, KS.

In lieu of flowers, the family requests donations to the Alzheimer's Association, 3846 W 75th St, Prairie Village, KS 66208.




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