Leonard Uecker

Leonard Uecker, 88, of Quitman, Arkansas died on Tuesday, March 17th, 2020, in Little Rock, Arkansas following a brief illness.

Funeral services will be held at 10:30AM on Thursday, July 9, 2020, in the Bethlehem Lutheran Church at Raymond, South Dakota, with The Reverend Randy Bader officiating.  Interment with full military honors will be in Prairie Valley Cemetery at Raymond, South Dakota.

The following obituary was written by Leonard prior to his death, it's his words.

Leonard Charles Uecker was born July 9, 1931 at Raymond, South Dakota, the son of Wilhelm and Rosa (Benike) Uecker.  He was confirmed in Bethlehem Lutheran Church.  Following graduation from Raymond High School in 1949 he joined the US Navy.  He served 22 months as electronics technician during the Korean War aboard destroyer-minesweeper USS Thompson and auxiliary minesweeper USS Redhead.

Following Navy service and 2 years at South Dakota School of Mines, he was employed as equipment engineer for Western Electric, electronics technician on the White Alice Communication project in the Territory of Alaska, and field service engineer and service manager for Perkin-Elmer Corp and Coleman Instruments.  He retired after 19 years as field service engineer for Warner & Swasey computerized machine tool manufacturer in 1990.  He and his wife moved to Arkansas in 1994.

He was united in marriage to Patricia Pelc on July 19, 1957 in Palos Heights, Illinois.  Their honeymoon was driving to Anchorage, Alaska where Leonard was employed.  They returned to Illinois in 1959 and lived in the Chicago area until their 3 daughters graduated from high school.

During his lifetime Leonard enjoyed basketball, hunting, horseback riding, skiing, and flying.  He held various positions in church, school board, and other community activities.

Mr. Uecker is survived by Patricia, his cherished wife of 62 years; daughters Susan (Stuart) Roberts, Linda Hoover, and Lori (Ron) Vandulek; grandchildren Hannah, Liliana, Magnolia (Mitchell), Jonathan, Holly, Jack, Cooper and Drake; sister Phyllis Carlson, and 7 loving nieces and nephews and their families.

He was preceded in death by his parents, sister Margaret (Arthur) Lenz, brother Wilmont (Mavis), brother-in-law Norman Carlson, niece Collene Johannsen and nephews Richard Lenz and Dick Carlson.

He never bought a foreign car.

Leonard Charles Uecker, age 88, Heber Springs, Arkansas, died in the Baptist Health Center in Little Rock, Arkansas on Tuesday morning, March 17, 2020, following a brief illness.

Leonard was born on July 9, 1931 at Raymond, South Dakota, to Wilhelm and Rosa (Benike) Uecker. As a young man, he guided pheasant hunters to supplement the family's income. They belonged to the Lutheran church, and Leonard was also confirmed in the faith.

He attended Raymond High School and enlisted in the United States Navy upon graduation.  Len served proudly on minesweepers during the Korean War, and was discharged with a commendation, service ribbon, and a Presidential Citation. Afterward, he attended South Dakota School of Mines and studied electrical engineering.

Leonard married Patricia Jean Pelc of Illinois on July 19, 1957. They spent their newlywed years in the Territory of Alaska, and then returned to the Chicago area.

Len's many years working as a service engineer allowed him to help people and solve problems, both of which brought him great pleasure. No doubt raising three daughters required a similar skill set. For a man who lost his father and grandfather as a young boy of 4, he was a model dad: tremendously kind, hardworking, and faithful.

Len loved to meet people, and it showed in the ways he spent his time.  He had a lifelong passion for flying, and took many trips as a private pilot. He also played dulcimer and dobro with Pat and other local music enthusiasts. Len attended and served regularly at Faith Lutheran Church in Fairfield Bay, and was committed to the work of the Save Greers Ferry Lake organization. Len was willing to give his all for a cause. From childhood to his last days, Len also brought laughter wherever he went, being known and remembered as a clever practical joker.

Leonard is survived by Patricia, his cherished wife of 62 years; daughters Susan (Stuart) Roberts, Linda Hoover, and Lori (Ron) Vandulek; grandchildren Hannah, Liliana, Magnolia (Mitchell), Jonathan, Holly, Jack, Cooper and Drake; sister Phyllis Carlson, and 7 loving nieces and nephews and their families. We were blessed to call him ours

Arrangements are pending for a memorial service in Fairfield Bay, AR and a service and burial in Raymond, South Dakota in the coming months.

The Furness Funeral Home at Clark, SD is serving the family where there is an on-line registry at www.furnessfuneralhome.com