Lloyd Kenneth Leslie passed from this life after a lengthy illness on Thursday, March 20, 2014 while residing at a local care center. He was blessed to have his wife and several family members at his side. Services are scheduled at the Heartland Funeral Home Chapel for Sunday, March 23, 2014 at 3:00 PM. Interment will be in the Blanket Cemetery. The family will be available prior to the service for visitation from 2:00 until 3:00.
Lloyd was born on December 12, 1925 in Stonewall, Pontotoc County, Oklahoma to Robert E. and Veda Davidson Leslie. His mother would die of pneumonia when he was 18 months old and he and his older sister, Beatrice, would be raised by their father until Lloyd’s age 14 when his father would remarry. Lloyd would join and work with the CC Camps until he was old enough to enter the Navy where he spent over two years during WWII.
Upon his Honorable Discharge from the Navy he would return to his native Oklahoma and reunite with his childhood sweetheart, Zelma Crow. They would marry in 1946; have their first son, Wendyl in 1947 and their second son, Jerry, in 1948. Lloyd would support his family as a very hard-working, street-smart, industrious and staunchly independent husband and father. He had a talent for turning his hand to many crafts and trades early in his life and was soon recognized by business owners as a trustworthy and dependable manager.
He would establish a retail milk and dairy delivery business in Ada, Oklahoma, which would grow and become a profitable enterprise employing several men. He would spend about 20 years building this and two other milk and dairy delivery businesses in Duncan and McAlester, Oklahoma.
Retiring from this industry he and Zelma would purchase and operate a very successful Sonic Drive-In in Garland, Texas for several years. From the proceeds of this business success they would move to Wilson, Oklahoma, buy a 40-acre plot of rich ground, build a new home and raise cattle and pigs for several years. They would then retire to Ardmore, Oklahoma for a period of time. With the arrival of several grandchildren who lived in Texas they moved to Utopia, Texas, and then got even closer to grandchildren and great-grandchildren by a move to Boerne, Texas. In 2005 they would move to Brownwood.
Lloyd and Zelma were always involved in churches of Christ wherever they lived. Most recently they were members at the 4th and Stewart Church of Christ in Brownwood.
He is survived by his wife, Zelma of Brownwood; two sons, Wendyl Leslie and wife Carolyn, of Boerne, Jerry Leslie and wife Janet of Brownwood; grandchildren, Keith and Pam Leslie, Dustin and Sarah Leslie, Brooke and Curtis Anderson, Jeff and Tiffany Leslie, and Jennifer and Andy Chen; and 18 great-grandchildren.
Memorials may be sent to The Cherokee Home for Children, PO Box 295, Cherokee, 76832.
Condolences can be offered to the family at www.heartlandfuneralhome.net.
