LEONARD F. MESSENGER, 88
LEONARD F. MESSENGER, 88, left us to be with the Lord on Monday, April 24, 2006. Born March 4, 1918, in Monmouth, Illinois, he was the son of Leonard A. Messenger and Harriet Hazel (Ellinwood). He retired from Antibus and Co. (A Toledo Scale Distributor) after 51 years of servicing any and all scales. He enlisted in the Civilian Conservation Corporation (CCC’s), in 1936, and then joined the Illinois National Guard, in 1938. He enlisted in the U.S. Navy in 1939 serving in the Pacific Theatre during World War II until the end of the war. He became a member of the U.S. Air Force Reserve, in 1950. He was a member of United Faith Presbyterian Church, the Southwest Conservation Club, American Legion Post 241, and Veterans of Foreign Wars. He married Vivian Branstrator in 1943, sharing almost 63 years of marriage and went on to shape the lives of their large close-knit family in ways that will continue for all time.
He will be missed by his wife, and sons, Michael Leonard (Sharon Gebhart) of Reading, Michigan, and Arthur L. (Kalene Walden) of Fort Wayne; and daughter, Nancy (Howard) Harz of Fort Wayne; sister, Shirley Jean Jared of Milan, Illinois; eight grandchildren; and 18 great-grandchildren.
He was preceded in death by his parents; four brothers; and one sister.
Service was Saturday, April 29, at Elzey Patterson Rodak Home For Funerals, 6810 Old Trail Road, Fort Wayne. Burial in Prairie Grove Cemetery, with Military rites.
Memorials to United Faith Presbyterian Church or Southern Care Hospice Group.
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