Gail Leeper

Gail Leeper, 91, of Winterset died Friday, January 26, 2018, at his home. A visitation will be held from 1 to 7 p.m., Tuesday, January 30, at Ochiltree Funeral Service where family will be present to receive friends from 5 to 7 p.m. A funeral service will be held at 10:30 a.m., Wednesday, January 31, at the First United Presbyterian Church in Winterset. A luncheon will be served after the service at the church and burial will follow in the Earlham Cemetery. Memorials may be directed to HCI Hospice Care Services and/or the Organ Fund at the First United Presbyterian Church. Gail LeVern Leeper, son of Carroll and Elma (Callison) Leeper, was born August 22, 1926, in the family home at Penn Center. He attended grade school at Penn Center #5 and later attended Earlham High School, graduating in the class of 1943. Gail married Sally Ann Wilkie on March 5, 1972, at her parent’s home in Earlham. He graduated from the Los Angeles School of Mortuary Science; and, also graduated from the Kansas City College of Mortuary Science. He attended the American Institute of Banking in Los Angeles and Des Moines and graduated from the Ag Credit Lending Credit School at Iowa State University. Gail was a funeral director, owning the funeral home in Earlham from 1954 to 1960. During this time, he was also employed at the Earlham Savings Bank; and, later worked for United California Bank in Los Angeles as a bank auditor from 1960 to 1972. Gail also worked at Union State Bank for 12 years and served as the bank’s President for five years until his retirement in 1989. Gail was baptized at Early Chapel Church rural Earlham by his uncle, Emmet Cook who was pastor there when Gail was a boy. He was a past member of the Earlham Presbyterian Church and Whittier Presbyterian in California. He was a member of the First United Presbyterian Church of Winterset; and, attended the Presbyterian Church of the Master in Mesa, Arizona during the winter months. Gail served on the town council in Earlham for several years; and, was past secretary and treasurer of the Earlham Lions Club. He was past president of the Winterset Rotary Club and co-founder, charter member and past secretary and treasurer of the Winterset Optimist Club. He was past secretary and treasurer of the Winterset Airport Authority; and, he served on the Madison County Board of Review for the Assessors’ Office for 14 years, retiring in 2009. Gail was also chairman of the Winterset Snowbird Picnic for 11 years, past president and member of the Triple 8 Flying Club of Winterset and member of the Computer Club and Photo Club in Mesa, Arizona. Gail enjoyed playing the piano and organ. He also loved to go flying and was interested in computers and photography. All this said, Gail loved his family most of all and treasured time spent with them. He is survived by his wife, Sally; four children, Le Anne Johnson of Las Vegas, NV, Darla (Paul) Millhollin of Peru, Kathy (Jim) Hooper of Des Moines, Jim (Diane) Leeper of Mesa, AZ; ten grandchildren, Sarah (fiancé, Ben Smith) Al-Mazroa, Hannah Al-Mazroa, Jake Al-Mazroa, Jessica (Bryan) Koster, Jill (Geoff) Janes, Jinny (Justin) Kanthak, Abigail Hooper and Jessica (fiancé, Stephen Plaszcz) Hooper, Jordan Leeper and Justin Leeper; seven great-grandchildren, Landon, Grayson and Paxton Koster, Grace and Madelyn Janes, Jackson and Lily Kanthak; several nieces, nephews, extended family and many friends. Gail was preceded in death by his parents, Carroll and Elma Leeper; and two brothers, Corneil and Lyle Leeper.