Leonard C. Blain
March 17, 1946 ~ September 5, 2017 (age 71) 71 Years Old
Leonard Blain Obituary
Leonard Charles Blain, age 71, of Watertown, SD, went to live with Jesus on Tuesday, September 5, 2017.
Funeral services will be at 2:00 p.m. on Saturday, September 9, 2017, at the Watertown Wesleyan Church.
Pastor Donald Blain and Pastor Steve Biswell will officiate.
Music will be provided by Sue Heavey as organist and Sue and Dennis Heavey as vocalists. The family is requested to meet at the church on Saturday by 1:30 p.m. for a family prayer service.
Visitation will be at the Crawford-Osthus Funeral Chapel in Watertown on Friday from 4-7 p.m. and prior to services at the church on Saturday.
Burial will be at Mount Hope Cemetery in Watertown.
Military graveside honors will be conducted by the Vietnam Veterans of America Chapter #1054 of Watertown. Honorary pallbearers will be all his VVA (Vietnam Veterans of America) friends.
Active Pallbearers will be his grandchildren: Merritt Blain, Jayde Blain, Trevor Rothstein and Trent Rothstein and his nephews, Jeremy Kuno and John Blain.
Leonard was born on March 17, 1946, at Middlebranch, NE, to Harold and Henrietta (Anson) Blain.
He lived on the family farm by Page, NE, until he graduated from Page High School in 1964.
After graduation he went to Basic Training at Ft. Jackson, SC, and received Advanced Infantry Training at Ft. Dix, NJ. After he attended Miltonvale Wesleyan College in 1966-1967, he was drafted into the Army and stationed at Ft. Campbell, KY.
In December of 1967, he married Barbara Howard in Watertown, SD.
He was then stationed at Ft. Bragg, NC, Ft. Walters, TX, and Ft. Rucker, AL, where he trained to fly helicopters and received his Warrant Officer Bars and Wings.
He served in Vietnam in 1969-1970 where he flew troop insertions and extractions in UH1 Hueys. Back in the states, he served one more year at Ft. Walters, TX.
After being honorably discharged, they moved to Bloomfield, NE, where their son, Len, was born.
Their next move was Grand Island, NE, followed by Superior, NE, where their son, William, and daughter, Jeanelle, were born.
There he worked in construction, operating heavy equipment and aerial spraying for a brief time. They moved to Watertown, SD, in 1987, where Leonard worked driving cross country and then for Stromseth Construction.
He enjoyed operating heavy equipment, metal fabrication and driving truck until he retired in 2010.
He was a member of the Vietnam Veterans of America, Vietnam Helicopter Pilots Association and the American Legion. He was very proud to have served his country! He always said it was an honor to serve!
He attended the Watertown Wesleyan Church and then Cornerstone Methodist Church in 2010 and then returned to the Watertown Wesleyan Church in 2013.
He loved to spend time with his family, doing crossword puzzles and visiting with people. No one was a stranger for long. Most of all, he loved the time he could spend with his sons, daughter-in-law and his grandchildren! He loved old cars and planes, motorcycles and helicopters of all kinds!
Leonard loved the Lord since he was a young child!!
Left to cherish Leonard's memories are his wife, Barbara; his children, Len (Shawna) Blain of Cawker City, KS, and William (Jill) Blain of Ham Lake, MN; his grandchildren:
Merritt Blain of Glen Elder, KS, Jayde Blain of Cawker City, KS, Trevor (Laura) Rothstein of Eau Claire, WI, and Trent Rothstein of Eau Claire, WI; one great-granddaughter, Daphne Rothstein, of Eau Claire, WI;
his brothers: Wesley (Judy) Blain of Grand Island, NE, Byron (Arlene) Blain of Norfolk, NE, and George (Sharon) Blain of Page, NE; his step-mother, Carol Howard, of Watertown, SD; his sisters-in-law and brothers-in-law: Linda Rahm of Fridley, MN, Virginia (Elwood) Ramsey, Larry Niles, Kathy (Mike) Kuno, Sandy Howard, Dean (Kristi) Howard and Larry (Tonja) Howard all of Watertown, SD; and many nieces and nephews.
He was preceded in death by his beloved daughter, Jeanelle Blain, who taught us how to love all people; his parents, Harold and Henrietta Blain; his brother and sister-in-law, Elmore and Phyllis Blain; mother-in-law and father-in-law, Dorothy and William Howard; one brother-in law, Lloyd Howard; one sister-in-law, Darlene Niles; nephews, Craig Blain & Rodney Blain; niece, Shelby Howard; and great-niece, Addysen Valley.
When: September 8, 2017 4:00pm - 7:00pm
Location: Crawford-Osthus Funeral Chapel
Address: 208 3rd St SW De Smet SD SD 57231
When: September 9, 2017 2:00pm
Location: Watertown Wesleyan Church
Address: 1616 3rd Ave NE Watertown, SD 57201
Funeral services will be at 2:00 p.m. on Saturday, September 9, 2017, at the Watertown Wesleyan Church.
Pastor Donald Blain and Pastor Steve Biswell will officiate.
Music will be provided by Sue Heavey as organist and Sue and Dennis Heavey as vocalists. The family is requested to meet at the church on Saturday by 1:30 p.m. for a family prayer service.
Visitation will be at the Crawford-Osthus Funeral Chapel in Watertown on Friday from 4-7 p.m. and prior to services at the church on Saturday.
Burial will be at Mount Hope Cemetery in Watertown.
Military graveside honors will be conducted by the Vietnam Veterans of America Chapter #1054 of Watertown. Honorary pallbearers will be all his VVA (Vietnam Veterans of America) friends.
Active Pallbearers will be his grandchildren: Merritt Blain, Jayde Blain, Trevor Rothstein and Trent Rothstein and his nephews, Jeremy Kuno and John Blain.
Leonard was born on March 17, 1946, at Middlebranch, NE, to Harold and Henrietta (Anson) Blain.
He lived on the family farm by Page, NE, until he graduated from Page High School in 1964.
After graduation he went to Basic Training at Ft. Jackson, SC, and received Advanced Infantry Training at Ft. Dix, NJ. After he attended Miltonvale Wesleyan College in 1966-1967, he was drafted into the Army and stationed at Ft. Campbell, KY.
In December of 1967, he married Barbara Howard in Watertown, SD.
He was then stationed at Ft. Bragg, NC, Ft. Walters, TX, and Ft. Rucker, AL, where he trained to fly helicopters and received his Warrant Officer Bars and Wings.
He served in Vietnam in 1969-1970 where he flew troop insertions and extractions in UH1 Hueys. Back in the states, he served one more year at Ft. Walters, TX.
After being honorably discharged, they moved to Bloomfield, NE, where their son, Len, was born.
Their next move was Grand Island, NE, followed by Superior, NE, where their son, William, and daughter, Jeanelle, were born.
There he worked in construction, operating heavy equipment and aerial spraying for a brief time. They moved to Watertown, SD, in 1987, where Leonard worked driving cross country and then for Stromseth Construction.
He enjoyed operating heavy equipment, metal fabrication and driving truck until he retired in 2010.
He was a member of the Vietnam Veterans of America, Vietnam Helicopter Pilots Association and the American Legion. He was very proud to have served his country! He always said it was an honor to serve!
He attended the Watertown Wesleyan Church and then Cornerstone Methodist Church in 2010 and then returned to the Watertown Wesleyan Church in 2013.
He loved to spend time with his family, doing crossword puzzles and visiting with people. No one was a stranger for long. Most of all, he loved the time he could spend with his sons, daughter-in-law and his grandchildren! He loved old cars and planes, motorcycles and helicopters of all kinds!
Leonard loved the Lord since he was a young child!!
Left to cherish Leonard's memories are his wife, Barbara; his children, Len (Shawna) Blain of Cawker City, KS, and William (Jill) Blain of Ham Lake, MN; his grandchildren:
Merritt Blain of Glen Elder, KS, Jayde Blain of Cawker City, KS, Trevor (Laura) Rothstein of Eau Claire, WI, and Trent Rothstein of Eau Claire, WI; one great-granddaughter, Daphne Rothstein, of Eau Claire, WI;
his brothers: Wesley (Judy) Blain of Grand Island, NE, Byron (Arlene) Blain of Norfolk, NE, and George (Sharon) Blain of Page, NE; his step-mother, Carol Howard, of Watertown, SD; his sisters-in-law and brothers-in-law: Linda Rahm of Fridley, MN, Virginia (Elwood) Ramsey, Larry Niles, Kathy (Mike) Kuno, Sandy Howard, Dean (Kristi) Howard and Larry (Tonja) Howard all of Watertown, SD; and many nieces and nephews.
He was preceded in death by his beloved daughter, Jeanelle Blain, who taught us how to love all people; his parents, Harold and Henrietta Blain; his brother and sister-in-law, Elmore and Phyllis Blain; mother-in-law and father-in-law, Dorothy and William Howard; one brother-in law, Lloyd Howard; one sister-in-law, Darlene Niles; nephews, Craig Blain & Rodney Blain; niece, Shelby Howard; and great-niece, Addysen Valley.
Service Details.
Visitation
When: September 8, 2017 4:00pm - 7:00pm
Location: Crawford-Osthus Funeral Chapel
Address: 208 3rd St SW De Smet SD SD 57231
Service
When: September 9, 2017 2:00pm
Location: Watertown Wesleyan Church
Address: 1616 3rd Ave NE Watertown, SD 57201
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Leonard Blain
March 17, 1946-September 5, 2017
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