- Date Of Birth: May 15, 1923
- Date Of Death: January 23, 2011
- State: Illinois
Leslie O. (Les) Thomasson died peacefully Saturday, January 22 at Freeport Memorial Hospital. He was born May 15, 1923 in Stockton, Illinois, son of Amos and Cleo (Blair) Thomasson.He joined the Civilian Conservation Core (CCC) and worked at Glenview Isle Royal from July, 1940 through June, 1942.
He enlisted in the Marines and served his country from December, 1942 through January, 1946, participating in the Asiatic/Pacific Front and the Japanese Occupation. He was called back to serve in the Korean War from October, 1950 through November, 1951. He went to mechanical school in Kansas City, Kansas and was very fond of riding his Indian Motorcycle back and forth from Kansas City to Stockton.
He worked at Honeywell as a technical engineer for 30+ years, retiring in 1985.He married Jeanette C. Hird in Freeport on September, 23, 1950. They met at a dance in Elroy, Illinois and continued to dance for most of their 49 married years. They spent many Saturday nights dancing at the Mercury Ballroom, north of Freeport. Les also enjoyed golfing, vegetable gardening, camping and occasionally fishing with his wife and grandchildren. His granddaughters held a very special place in his heart. They spent time camping, swimming and fishing at Lake Carroll.
They went out for lunch with grandpa weekly until the end.He was a member of the Fraternal Order of Eagles, VFW and American Legion. It was a morning ritual for Les to go the Eagles Club to have coffee with his buddies and help clean-up from the previous nights or weekends activities. The family would like to give a very special Thank You’ to all of those buddies, as you all kept him active and engaged in life.
He felt a very special purpose helping out at the Club.Les especially enjoyed his annual trips up north in the spring and fall to Lake Lac Courte Oreilles to help open and close the Engle family cabin. It was a guys’ and dogs’ trip and they spent many a night around the fire pit telling stories and sharing much laughter. Work was plenty, but good times were priceless. Les met many good cabin neighbors and friends during his trips.
He is survived by his daughter, Joanne (Donald) Engle of Freeport and granddaughters Abbey and Emiley, all of Freeport, Ashley of Woodstock and son-in-law Robert Skaggs of Sandy Springs, GA. He is also survived by his sister, Pauline (the late John) Veach of Freeport and Eric (Vera) Thomasson of Stockton and several nieces and nephews.
He was preceded in death by his wife Jeanette, daughter Julie Skaggs, parents Amos and Cleo Thomasson, sisters Wynette (Alan) Boyer, Myrna (Lavere) Endress, Josephine (Bert) Belk, Coretta (Simon) Endress and Mary (Ralph) Hayes. He was also preceded in death by a very special friend, David Koertner.
