Leonard Jon Tanner
July 28, 2016 at 4:25 p.m.
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He was born July 21, 1917, in Burlington, Okla., to Henry and Ida May Schafer Tanner. On May 26, 1940, he married Gladys Whybrew, who preceded him in death Feb. 23, 1962. On June 2, 1963, he married Luella Cox Headrick, who died July 19, 2002.
He attended school in Burlington, Okla., and later became the co-owner of Burlington Hardware Store in the 1940s. After selling his share of the store, he purchased the Deluxe Motel in Alva, Okla., in the 1950s. He and his family operated the motel for 10 years, while working part-time at the post office in Cherokee, Okla. He served as clerk, assistant postmaster and then postmaster for 12 years. He was also postmaster in Carmen, Okla., and retired on Jan. 4, 1984.
He was a member of First Baptist Church in Cherokee where he was deacon and did volunteer gardening and maintenance. He was a member of the Cherokee Seniors Domino Club, an avid fisherman, gardener and shared his award-winning flower arrangements with businesses, seniors and nursing home residents.
He moved to Winona Lake in 2010 to live with his son, Gary, and Gary’s wife, Shelley. He frequently visited the Winona Lake Senior Center for lunch. He taught everyone there how to play dominoes. In July 2015 he became a resident of Grace Village Health Care in Winona Lake.
He will be lovingly remembered by his two sons, Gary (and spouse Shelley) Tanner, Warsaw; and Rudy Tanner, Oakland, Calif.; one stepson, Dennis (and spouse Eva) Headrick, Newberg, Ore.; one step-daughter: Judie (and spouse Bob) Collins, Bartlesville, Okla.; two grandsons, Gary “Chip” (and spouse Erin) Tanner, Plainfield, and James Leonard (and spouse Amy) Tanner, Los Gatos, Calif.; three granddaughters: Bethanie (and spouse Mark) Goodson, Dublin, Ohio; Katherine (and spouse Mark) Davis, Brentwood, Tenn.; and Cherish (and spouse Antonio) Paris, St. Petersburg, Fla.; five step-grandchildren: John (and spouse Rebecca) Headrick and Garrett (and spouse Brenda) Headrick, all of Newberg, Ore.; Adair (and spouse Mark) Goss, Lafayette, Ore.; Joel Collins, Tulsa, Okla.; and Heather (and spouse Michael) Youngs, Fenton, Mich.; and 23 great-great grandchildren. He was preceded in death by his parents, his wives, Gladys and Luella, three brothers and one sister.
A memorial service will be at a later date in Cherokee, Okla. Burial will be in Cherokee Municipal Cemetery, Cherokee, Okla.
Redpath-Fruth Funeral Home, Warsaw, is in charge of arrangements.
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Condolences via www.redpathfruthfuneralhome.com[[In-content Ad]]
He was born July 21, 1917, in Burlington, Okla., to Henry and Ida May Schafer Tanner. On May 26, 1940, he married Gladys Whybrew, who preceded him in death Feb. 23, 1962. On June 2, 1963, he married Luella Cox Headrick, who died July 19, 2002.
He attended school in Burlington, Okla., and later became the co-owner of Burlington Hardware Store in the 1940s. After selling his share of the store, he purchased the Deluxe Motel in Alva, Okla., in the 1950s. He and his family operated the motel for 10 years, while working part-time at the post office in Cherokee, Okla. He served as clerk, assistant postmaster and then postmaster for 12 years. He was also postmaster in Carmen, Okla., and retired on Jan. 4, 1984.
He was a member of First Baptist Church in Cherokee where he was deacon and did volunteer gardening and maintenance. He was a member of the Cherokee Seniors Domino Club, an avid fisherman, gardener and shared his award-winning flower arrangements with businesses, seniors and nursing home residents.
He moved to Winona Lake in 2010 to live with his son, Gary, and Gary’s wife, Shelley. He frequently visited the Winona Lake Senior Center for lunch. He taught everyone there how to play dominoes. In July 2015 he became a resident of Grace Village Health Care in Winona Lake.
He will be lovingly remembered by his two sons, Gary (and spouse Shelley) Tanner, Warsaw; and Rudy Tanner, Oakland, Calif.; one stepson, Dennis (and spouse Eva) Headrick, Newberg, Ore.; one step-daughter: Judie (and spouse Bob) Collins, Bartlesville, Okla.; two grandsons, Gary “Chip” (and spouse Erin) Tanner, Plainfield, and James Leonard (and spouse Amy) Tanner, Los Gatos, Calif.; three granddaughters: Bethanie (and spouse Mark) Goodson, Dublin, Ohio; Katherine (and spouse Mark) Davis, Brentwood, Tenn.; and Cherish (and spouse Antonio) Paris, St. Petersburg, Fla.; five step-grandchildren: John (and spouse Rebecca) Headrick and Garrett (and spouse Brenda) Headrick, all of Newberg, Ore.; Adair (and spouse Mark) Goss, Lafayette, Ore.; Joel Collins, Tulsa, Okla.; and Heather (and spouse Michael) Youngs, Fenton, Mich.; and 23 great-great grandchildren. He was preceded in death by his parents, his wives, Gladys and Luella, three brothers and one sister.
A memorial service will be at a later date in Cherokee, Okla. Burial will be in Cherokee Municipal Cemetery, Cherokee, Okla.
Redpath-Fruth Funeral Home, Warsaw, is in charge of arrangements.
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Condolences via www.redpathfruthfuneralhome.com[[In-content Ad]]
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