Jimmie Kelly Leapley 66-69 (July 10, 1947 - February 26, 2013) Leapley, Jimmie K. “Jim” age 65 passed away Tuesday, February 26, 2013 at Crossroads Rehabilitation and Nursing Center, Vandalia, OH following a lengthy illness. Born July 10, 1947 in Galion, Ohio to James K. and Mary {Miller} Leapley. He is preceded in death by his mother. Jim is survived by his father, James, Belleville, OH, loving wife Anna {Gates} Leapley, son; Steven and his wife Cindy Leapley, Huntington Beach, CA, sister; Sharon and her husband Don Davis, Pueblo, CO, mother in-law; Thelma Gates, Galion, OH, sister and brother in-law; Nadine (Jeff) Tomecko, TN, brother and sister in-law; Raymond (Cindy) Gates, NC, 6 grandchildren; Chelsea Wells, Jordan, Micah, Daisey Lynne, Slater and Kai Leapley along with several nieces and nephews. Jim was a Viet Nam veteran serving in the United States Navy aboard the U.S.S. Benjamin Stoddert. He was a member of the Tipp City Nazarene Church, National Model Railroader Association and owner of the Erie Railway Depot, Troy, OH. A Celebration of Life service will be held at 2:00 PM, Saturday, March 2, 2013 at Tipp City Nazarene Church, Pastor Brad Warkentine officiating. Family will receive friends from 11:00 AM to 1:00 PM Saturday prior to the service at the church. Arrangements have been entrusted to FRINGS AND BAYLIFF FUNERAL HOME, 327 W. Main St., Tipp City, Ohio 45371. Contributions may be made in memory of Jim to Destiny Hospice, 4350 Glendale Milford Rd., Cincinnati, OH 45242, or Wesleyan Native Ministries, PO Box 1705, Grand Rapids, MI 49501-1705.

The passing of CDR John R. Kint 06/65 – 07/67 John Richard Kint (known as Dick or Richard), a 30-plus-year resident of Cape George, died on May 26, 2011, in Port Angeles of natural causes ("I am just plain wearing out"). He was 84. Save for his last few years, ("I haven't coped well with old age"), he was characterized by a wide-ranging curiosity, a high energy level and a determined enthusiasm for the project at hand. He maintained a serious respect for public service, both personally and professionally. He was born and reared in Bremerton, Washington, the son of Dr. and Mrs. Manford R. Kint, a prominent physician and community activist. Dick was locally active in academics, athletics and extracurricular activities. After a year in the U.S. Navy V-12 program, he matriculated at the U.S. Naval Academy with an appointment from then-Representative Warren G. Magnuson. As a midshipman, he was a company commander, the director of the public relations committee and an associate editor of the college magazine. Upon graduation and commissioning in 1949, he was assigned to the USS Toledo, a heavy cruiser that had two deployments in the Korean War. In 1953, he was assigned to the Army's guided missile program, after which he became an instructor at the Navy's counterpart course in Pomona, California. Here, he met, wooed and married his much-loved wife of nearly 50 years, Margaret Geddes, on Valentine's Day in 1955. The family later had an idyllic three-year tour in London, where the small-town boy discovered the majesty and attraction of "his very own" city. His last ship was the newest guided missile ship in the surface fleet, the USS Benjamin Stoddert, which had two deployments to Vietnam. Under his command, the ship was awarded a Meritorious Unit Commendation and was named the Destroyer of the Year in the Seventh Fleet in 1967. Following this, he was ordered to the obligatory Washington, D.C., tour in the Bureau of Personnel. His final tour was at the Industrial College of the Armed Forces, where he also earned a graduate degree from George Washington University. He retired from the Navy in 1973 with the rank of captain after 29 years of continuous service. In 1974, he became a director of continuing education and community services at Northern Virginia Community College. After a five-year tour of duty, he and Margie escaped back to their beloved West Coast, settling in Port Townsend after numerous sorties up and down the coast. He joined the American Rhododendron Society soon after arrival and was awarded the American Rose Society Bronze Medal for his efforts with the local rhododendron show during the Rhododendron Festival. In 1980, he became manager of Jefferson County Public Utility District No. 1. At the end of 1985, he retired, working as hard as before but without a paycheck. He spent a number of years on the board of United Good Neighbors, serving as president but more importantly as the chairman of the allocations committee. Dick had a nearly 30-year association with Jefferson Transit and was also instrumental in getting more community college classes in Port Townsend. He indulged in his love of travel and fine wine, often combining the two by visiting wine-growing regions around the world. When wife Margie suffered a series of strokes, Dick became a devoted caregiver until her death in 2003. This changed his life, and he passed his experience on to other stroke-stricken families. After a year of mourning, he knocked on the door of Dorothy Skerbeck, who welcomed and supported both his misery and need for companionship. This spiritual bond lasted until his death. Dick wrote that "he loves his children but believes that his greatest accomplishment and joy is to have loved and had the love of two such remarkable and different women. May others enjoy the same pleasures!" Dick is survived by son Richard (Rachel Rutledge) of Seattle; daughter Sandee Shanahan of Aurora, Colorado; sister Joan Rich of Gig Harbor; and special friend Dorothy Skerbeck of Port Angeles. A memorial will be held Sunday, June 19, 2011, in Port Townsend. Private burial will be in Bremerton, Washington.Published in The Peninsula Daily News on June 12, 2011

CDR Edward A. Siegrist, Jr. 04/73 – 03/75 6th CDR USS Benjamin Stoddert Captain Edward A. Siegrist, Jr. (US Navy, Retired) Captain Edward A. Siegrist, Jr. (US Navy, Ret), 76, of New Fairfield, died February 20, 2010 after a short battle with pancreatic cancer. He was born to the late Edward and Laura Siegrist on September 6, 1933 in San Diego, California.  Ed graduated from the California Maritime Academy in 1956 prior to entering the U.S. Navy.  He married Evelyn Frances Krail in 1957. Ed retired from the Navy in 1987, and settled in New Fairfield.  He was an active member of Saint Edward the Confessor Catholic Church, the Knights of Columbus, the New Fairfield Veterans Association, and the Austin Healey Club of America. Ed is survived by Evelyn, his wife of 52 years; their four children and spouses: Stephen Siegrist and wife Debby, of New Jersey; Kathleen McLernon and husband Thomas; Captain Paul Siegrist, US Navy and wife Bethany; Susan Engel and husband Peter, all of Virginia. He also is survived by seven grandchildren:  Evan and Lee Siegrist; Zachary, Jake and Connor McLernon; and Allison and Matthew Engel. In lieu of flowers, the family requests that donations be made to the New Fairfield Veterans Association. A viewing will be held from 5-7 p.m. Sunday February 28 at Green Funeral Home.  A Mass  of Christian Burial will be held at Saint Edward the Confessor Catholic Church, New Fairfield at 11 a.m. on March 1.  Burial with full military honors will be held at Arlington National Cemetery on Wednesday, June 30, 2010 at 10:45 a.m. beginning at the Old Post Chapel with a Mass of Christian Burial.

Denease Eldeen Christensen of Bremerton, WA                Aug. 15, 1960 to Jan. 19, 2010 Denease is survived by her husband Bill, daughter Rachel and her husband Jim, three grandsons, brother Dan, mother Claudia and grandmother Lorna. She went to school in Central Kitsap completing her high school degree followed by college degree at Olympic College. She was a civil service accountant until she retired in 2002. She was a very special person and will be loved and greatly missed. Donations can be made in her name to the American Cancer Society and the family would encourage the planting of trees in her memory independently through the National Arbor Day Society.

Tom's Message 09/07

Presumptive Disability Benefits for Certain Groups of Veterans

Chester Karasinski 69-71