Obituary for LeRoy K. Petersheim
LeRoy Kurtz Petersheim passed from this life early on Monday, September 2nd. One of 12 children, he was born in Morgantown to parents Barbara (Kurtz) and Jonathan Petersheim on October 29, 1929. He was a member, since 1989, of Forest Hills Mennonite Church.
LeRoy is survived by his brother Floyd Petersheim (Rebecca Stoltzfus) and his children: Beth Ann, married to Linford Good, Anna Ruth, married to Edward Gawlinski, as well as his six grandchildren: Rachel, Brendon, Alina, Colin, Gage and Tanner LeRoy. He was preceded in death by his siblings Mable, Della, Mary, Ida, Elsie, Susie, Omar, Elam, Joseph and Linda and his loving wife Betty Lou (Wingard) Petersheim in 2004 and in 2018 by his son Jon Robert Petersheim (Susan Marie Parker). In recent years he was also blessed to be “PawPaw” to five beautiful grandchildren with his companion Grace Ebersole Leaman.
In 1946 LeRoy ventured alone as a Seagoing Cowboy on a cattle boat to Greece, bringing livestock and aid to that war-torn country. As the son of farmers, LeRoy worked the land on his family farm until he married in 1953. Never having completed high school, LeRoy graduated from Eastern Mennonite College (now Eastern Mennonite University) in 1960. He participated in graduate-level studies at Cornell and Penn State Universities during his time home from missionary service.
LeRoy, along with his wife Betty Lou, was a missionary in Kenya & Tanzania through the Eastern Mennonite Board of Missions, serving from 1960-1970. After returning home, LeRoy was the CEO at Tel Hai retirement community, during a time of rapid growth and change to the senior citizen community. He was also the Director of Marketing and Public Relations at Garden Spot Villiage in New Holland.
LeRoy loved the outdoors and nature. He was a member of the Buck Hollow Hunting Club in Clinton County, PA where he enjoyed immensely taking his grandchildren and creating fond memories of fun and family; his grandkids enjoy time there to this day. LeRoy was also an avid gardener. In his last years he enlisted the help of his grandsons to tend to his plot of roses at Landis Homes; roses he shared with many to spread joy and the beauty of God’s creation to all.
A celebration of LeRoy’s life will be held at 2:30 pm on October 5 Forest Hills Mennonite Church, 100 Quarry Road, Leola. Visitation will be from 1:00pm until time of service. In lieu of flowers, contributions in LeRoy’s memory may be made to Hospice and Community Care, 685 Good Drive, P.O. Box 4125, Lancaster, PA 17604-4125.
LeRoy is survived by his brother Floyd Petersheim (Rebecca Stoltzfus) and his children: Beth Ann, married to Linford Good, Anna Ruth, married to Edward Gawlinski, as well as his six grandchildren: Rachel, Brendon, Alina, Colin, Gage and Tanner LeRoy. He was preceded in death by his siblings Mable, Della, Mary, Ida, Elsie, Susie, Omar, Elam, Joseph and Linda and his loving wife Betty Lou (Wingard) Petersheim in 2004 and in 2018 by his son Jon Robert Petersheim (Susan Marie Parker). In recent years he was also blessed to be “PawPaw” to five beautiful grandchildren with his companion Grace Ebersole Leaman.
In 1946 LeRoy ventured alone as a Seagoing Cowboy on a cattle boat to Greece, bringing livestock and aid to that war-torn country. As the son of farmers, LeRoy worked the land on his family farm until he married in 1953. Never having completed high school, LeRoy graduated from Eastern Mennonite College (now Eastern Mennonite University) in 1960. He participated in graduate-level studies at Cornell and Penn State Universities during his time home from missionary service.
LeRoy, along with his wife Betty Lou, was a missionary in Kenya & Tanzania through the Eastern Mennonite Board of Missions, serving from 1960-1970. After returning home, LeRoy was the CEO at Tel Hai retirement community, during a time of rapid growth and change to the senior citizen community. He was also the Director of Marketing and Public Relations at Garden Spot Villiage in New Holland.
LeRoy loved the outdoors and nature. He was a member of the Buck Hollow Hunting Club in Clinton County, PA where he enjoyed immensely taking his grandchildren and creating fond memories of fun and family; his grandkids enjoy time there to this day. LeRoy was also an avid gardener. In his last years he enlisted the help of his grandsons to tend to his plot of roses at Landis Homes; roses he shared with many to spread joy and the beauty of God’s creation to all.
A celebration of LeRoy’s life will be held at 2:30 pm on October 5 Forest Hills Mennonite Church, 100 Quarry Road, Leola. Visitation will be from 1:00pm until time of service. In lieu of flowers, contributions in LeRoy’s memory may be made to Hospice and Community Care, 685 Good Drive, P.O. Box 4125, Lancaster, PA 17604-4125.