1930
Leon
2023
Leon Shrum
May 14, 1930 — March 27, 2023
Vernie Leon Shrum was born May 14, 1930 at Kellogg, Iowa to Lillard O. Shrum and Elva P. (Mosler) Shrum. He died March 27, 2023 at Guest Home Estates in Garnett, Kansas.
He attended rural schools at Chetopa, Kansas through the eighth grade when he had to drop out of school to farm for his father who had suffered leg and back injuries requiring months of recovery. Under his father's instruction he planted and harvested crops and cared for the animals beginning at age twelve. At age 16, with his father again healthy Leon left home to seek his fortune.
He and two friends from Chetopa rode the trains to Texas, not as paying passengers, but as freeloaders or hoboes. They stayed in hobo camps and evaded railroad police. These were some of Leon's most treasured memories. While in Texas he laid wooden roads in marshy fields for oil crews and picked them up after jobs were completed.
He returned to Kansas and went to work for the American Telephone Company in 1949 at Oswego, Kansas working out of Mound City, Kansas. He worked the line gang digging holes for telephone poles and cutting brush. American Telephone was purchased by the United Telephone Company and Leon was assigned to work out of Garnett, Kansas.
At Garnett, he and other members of the "the gang" rented rooms from Mom and Pop Allison on Fifth Street in Garnett. There he found the love of his life, a nurse who also rented a room from the Allisons.
He proposed and on April 3rd, 1951, Leon married Lois Ahlvers in Ottawa, Kansas in the Lutheran parsonage. Later that year, Leon was drafted into the Army. After advanced training in 1952 at Fort Knox, Kentucky, where Lois and Leon lived just off base, Leon went to Korea as a radio operator with the Signal Corps during the Korean War. Lois went home to Kansas expecting son David born in October 1952, Leon was discharged from the Army in 1953.
The family returned to Garnett where Leon worked several years as a "troubleshooter" or as they are now called an installer/repairman for United Telephone. He would often say he had been in every house in Anderson County working on folks' telephones.
In 1964, the family moved to Burlington with the phone company. After only six months in Burlington, and having bought and renovated a house in Burlington, Leon was promoted again and the family moved to Hiawatha, Kansas as an Equipment Installer.
In 1969, he was promoted into management when United bought the Junction City Telephone Company in Junction City, Kansas. While living in J.C., Leon and Lois square danced serving as Presidents of their club. Leon was involved in outdoor activities serving as President of the Geary County Fish and Game Club. Leon and Lois lived in Junction City for thirteen years.
Lois and Leon moved back to Garnett in 1982 to the house they had built in 1962. Leon worked in the East Central Kansas office until retiring in 1986.
In 1990, after Leon tried his hand at selling insurance for five years, with Lois running the office. They made the decision to join a retiree group, named Laborers for Christ. Laborers were retirees that lived in RV's at various worksites while renovating churches, building additions to schools, or building new construction. They made many dear friends during that time spending summers working on projects with the same crew each year. Leon was a member of Trinity Lutheran Church, Garnett, Kansas.
Leon was preceded in death by his mother and father; his wife Lois, four siblings Troy, Oren, Lillard, and Donnie.
He is survived by son David (Goldana), Garnett, grandchildren, Vandetta Mongeau (Brian), Eureka, KS, Zane Shrum, Satanta, KS, Devin Shrum, Garnett. Great-grandchildren, Chandler (Lacey) and Britta Mongeau, Braden and Brilee Shrum, and great-great-grandson Quinn Mongeau. His sister Carol Kasten (George) of Columbus, Kansas and many nieces and nephews that he loved dearly.
Funeral services will be held at 10:30 A.M., on Monday, April 3, 2023, at Trinity Lutheran Church, Garnett, Kansas, with burial following in the Garnett Cemetery. The family will greet friends at Feuerborn Family Funeral Service Chapel, Garnett, on Sunday evening from 4:00 P.M. to 6:00 P.M.
Memorial contributions may be made to the Trinity Lutheran Church and Good Shepherd Hospice.
He attended rural schools at Chetopa, Kansas through the eighth grade when he had to drop out of school to farm for his father who had suffered leg and back injuries requiring months of recovery. Under his father's instruction he planted and harvested crops and cared for the animals beginning at age twelve. At age 16, with his father again healthy Leon left home to seek his fortune.
He and two friends from Chetopa rode the trains to Texas, not as paying passengers, but as freeloaders or hoboes. They stayed in hobo camps and evaded railroad police. These were some of Leon's most treasured memories. While in Texas he laid wooden roads in marshy fields for oil crews and picked them up after jobs were completed.
He returned to Kansas and went to work for the American Telephone Company in 1949 at Oswego, Kansas working out of Mound City, Kansas. He worked the line gang digging holes for telephone poles and cutting brush. American Telephone was purchased by the United Telephone Company and Leon was assigned to work out of Garnett, Kansas.
At Garnett, he and other members of the "the gang" rented rooms from Mom and Pop Allison on Fifth Street in Garnett. There he found the love of his life, a nurse who also rented a room from the Allisons.
He proposed and on April 3rd, 1951, Leon married Lois Ahlvers in Ottawa, Kansas in the Lutheran parsonage. Later that year, Leon was drafted into the Army. After advanced training in 1952 at Fort Knox, Kentucky, where Lois and Leon lived just off base, Leon went to Korea as a radio operator with the Signal Corps during the Korean War. Lois went home to Kansas expecting son David born in October 1952, Leon was discharged from the Army in 1953.
The family returned to Garnett where Leon worked several years as a "troubleshooter" or as they are now called an installer/repairman for United Telephone. He would often say he had been in every house in Anderson County working on folks' telephones.
In 1964, the family moved to Burlington with the phone company. After only six months in Burlington, and having bought and renovated a house in Burlington, Leon was promoted again and the family moved to Hiawatha, Kansas as an Equipment Installer.
In 1969, he was promoted into management when United bought the Junction City Telephone Company in Junction City, Kansas. While living in J.C., Leon and Lois square danced serving as Presidents of their club. Leon was involved in outdoor activities serving as President of the Geary County Fish and Game Club. Leon and Lois lived in Junction City for thirteen years.
Lois and Leon moved back to Garnett in 1982 to the house they had built in 1962. Leon worked in the East Central Kansas office until retiring in 1986.
In 1990, after Leon tried his hand at selling insurance for five years, with Lois running the office. They made the decision to join a retiree group, named Laborers for Christ. Laborers were retirees that lived in RV's at various worksites while renovating churches, building additions to schools, or building new construction. They made many dear friends during that time spending summers working on projects with the same crew each year. Leon was a member of Trinity Lutheran Church, Garnett, Kansas.
Leon was preceded in death by his mother and father; his wife Lois, four siblings Troy, Oren, Lillard, and Donnie.
He is survived by son David (Goldana), Garnett, grandchildren, Vandetta Mongeau (Brian), Eureka, KS, Zane Shrum, Satanta, KS, Devin Shrum, Garnett. Great-grandchildren, Chandler (Lacey) and Britta Mongeau, Braden and Brilee Shrum, and great-great-grandson Quinn Mongeau. His sister Carol Kasten (George) of Columbus, Kansas and many nieces and nephews that he loved dearly.
Funeral services will be held at 10:30 A.M., on Monday, April 3, 2023, at Trinity Lutheran Church, Garnett, Kansas, with burial following in the Garnett Cemetery. The family will greet friends at Feuerborn Family Funeral Service Chapel, Garnett, on Sunday evening from 4:00 P.M. to 6:00 P.M.
Memorial contributions may be made to the Trinity Lutheran Church and Good Shepherd Hospice.
To order memorial trees or send flowers to the family in memory of Leon Shrum, please visit our flower store.
Service Schedule
Past Services
Visitation with Family Present
Sunday, April 2, 2023
4:00 - 6:00 pm (Central time)
Feuerborn Family Funeral Service - Garnett
Funeral Service
Monday, April 3, 2023
10:30 - 11:15 am (Central time)
Trinity Lutheran Church
Guestbook
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