Leonard L. Gavin

SIOUX CITY -- Leonard L. Gavin, 94, of Sioux City died Monday, Oct. 26, 2009, at a Sioux City hospital following a brief illness.

Services will be 10:30 a.m. Saturday, October 31, 2009 at Immaculate Conception Catholic Church in Sioux City, with the Rev. Daniel Guenther officiating. Burial will be in Silver Ridge Cemetery, Ponca, Neb. Visitation will be 4 to 8 p.m. today, with the family present after 6 p.m. and a vigil service at 7 p.m., at Meyer Brothers Colonial Chapel. Condolences may be sent online to www.meyerbroschapels.com.

Leonard was born Jan. 1, 1915, on the family farm near Geddes, S.D., the son of John P. and Anna (Loftus) Gavin. He attended rural and town schools and graduated from Conde (S.D.) High School in 1933. After high school, he farmed and then served in the U.S. Army Air Corps, where he learned air navigation and communication equipment. He then worked for United Airlines. He later went to work for the Department of Commerce in the Civil Aeronautics Authority (Now called the FAA) at airports in the lower states and in Alaska.

During World War II, he was back in the U.S. Army Air Corps and served in India and China. After the war, he worked for the FAA again at airports in Missouri, South Dakota, Nebraska, Colorado and Wyoming. He was the FAA maintenance chief for the air navigation and communications and terminal aids. in the Sioux City area for 25 years before he retired.

He married Norma Yusten on Sept. 11, 1965, in Sioux City.

He was a member of Immaculate Conception Catholic Church, Knights of Columbus, the Siouxland Senior Center, American Legion Post 662, AARP and NARFE. He liked to travel, camp, garden, work on home improvements, church volunteer jobs and electronics projects.

He is survived by his wife, Norma of Sioux City; a sister, Frances Hopkins of Sioux City; and several nieces and nephews.

He was preceded in death by three brothers, Ed, John and Bernard.

Pallbearers will be Art Tanderup, Robert and Jim Navrkal, Larry Watchorn, Don Yusten Jr., and Pat Shanahan. Honorary pallbearers will be his nieces and nephews.