Obituary Record

Leonard F Coufal
Died on 7/8/2005

None

Pilot Tribune 12 July 2005

Leonard F. Coufal, 73

(Veteran Flag)

Leonard F. Coufal, 73, of Fremont, died Friday, July 8, 2005, at Nebraska Medical Center in Omaha.

Funeral services ae 10:30 a.m. Tuesday, July 12, at St. Patrick’s Catholic Church in Fremont. Interment will be in Fremont’s Calvary Cemetery, with military honors provided by the Fremont Honor Guard of VFW Post No. 854, and American Legion Post No. 20.

Visitation began Monday, but will also be held at the church Tuesday, one hour prior to services.

Leonard F. Coufal was born Jan. 8, 1932, in Sarpy County to James and Marion (Pamedit) Coufal. He grew up in the Omaha area and moved to Irvington at the age of 14. He was a 1950 graduate of Irvington High School.

He worked for Smith Electric in Irvington, and then for the Union Pacific Railroad for six years. He served in the National Guard and Reserve for eight years, and went on active military duty during the Berlin Crisis from 1961 to 1962.

On June 7, 1952, he married Joan David at St. Bernard Catholic Church in Omaha. The couple moved to Kennard in 1964 and farmed there until moving to Fremont in 1978.

Mr. Coufal was employed by the Omaha Public Power District for 37 years, retiring in 1992. He also owned and operated Bud’s Liquor in Fremont from 1981 to 1989, and then he and his wife started J’s Photo, which they operated from 1983 to 1995. Mr. Coufal worked part time, after his retirement, at Ace Hardware and Korshoj Lumber in Fremont, and as a driver for Woodhouse Dodge in Blair.

He was a member of St. Patrick’s Catholic Church, Fremont; 3rd degree member of the Phil Sheridan Knights of Columbus Council 1497 for 27 years, 4th degree charter member of Fr. Leo Raus Knights of Columbus, and was a faithful navigator. He was a charter member of the Irvington Volunteer Fire and Rescue Department from 1952 to 1964, ad was a former captain of the rescue squad. He was a member of the Kennard Volunteer Fire Department and was a former fire chief; member of the Kennard School Board and board member of the Rural Kennard Fire Board.

He is survived by his wife, Joan; three sons and daughters-in-law, Scott A. and Katherine Coufal of Kennard, Craig and Linda Coufal of Fremont, and John Coufal and special friend, Cindy Lerette of Kansas City, Mo.; two daughters and sons-in-law, Jeannine and Kenneth Stier of Blair, and Joani and Dave Kleensang of Fremont; 11 grandchildren; two great-grandchildren; two brothers and sisters-in-law, James G. and Loraine Coufal and Albert and Darlene Coufal, all of Omaha; three sisters-in-law, Jean and Bob Jensen, and Janet and Jim Christensen of Omaha, and Joyce and Jerome Breunig of Wahoo.

He was preceded in death by his parents; brother and sister-in-law, Richard and Sarah Coufal; and brother-in-law, Jack David.

Memorials are suggested to St. Patrick’s Catholic Church.

Moser Memorial Chapel in Fremont is in charge of arrangements.

Omaha World Herald 11 July 2005 By Jason Kuiper World-Herald Staffwriter

Veteran Leonard Coufal fought fires and big fish

Leonard Coufal, who died Friday at an area hospital, had been a firefighter, soldier and fisherman.

Coufal, 73, of Fremont, worked for the Omaha Public Power District for 37 years as a senior transmission distribution clerk. He retired in 1992.

He served eight years in the National Guard and Army Reserve, including during the Berlin crisis from 1961 to 1962.

“He loved fishing”, said his wife, Joan. “He would go to Canada with his buddies, and he did take me one year.”

Coufal and his wife were married 53 years.

The Coufals toured the whole Eastern seaboard by car, she said, and for their 50th anniversary, they went to Hawaii.

Coufal was a founding member of the Irvington fire Department and held numerous positions, including vice president, treasurer and first aid captain. Coufal was a member from 1953 to 1964.

Founding Chief Jack DeBuse called Coufal a very active and progressive member of the department, said current Irvington Fire Chief Nolan Paulsen.

“By looking at the records, I can see Leonard was a very diligent person,” Paulsen said. “It seems to me Leonard was very instrumental in developing the department for future service to the community.”

Coufal later served as a school board member in Kennard and was a member of the Kennard Rural Fire Board as well as a fire chief for the volunteer department.

A rosary service will be held at St. Patrick’s Church in Fremont at 7:30 p.m. today, with visitation from 6 p.m. to 7:30 p.m. The funeral will be at 10:30 a.m. Tuesday at the church.

Other survivors are two daughters, Jeannine Stier of Blair and Joani Kleensang of Fremont, and three sons, Scott of Kennard, John of Kansas City, Mo., and Craig of Fremont.

World-Herald staff writer Susan White contributed to this report.

Omaha World Herald 11 July 2005

(Veteran Flag)

COUFAL-Leonard F., 73 years of Fremont, formerly of Omaha, 7/8/05. Survived by wife, Joan; sons, Scott A. (Katherine) Coufal, Kennard, NE, Craig (Linda) Coufal, Fremont, John Coufal (special friend, Cindy Lerette), Kansas City, MO; daughters, Jeannine (Kenneth) Stier, Blair, Joani (Dave) Kleensang, Fremont; brothers, James G.(Loraine) Coufal, Albert (Darlene) Coufal, Omaha; 11 grandchildren; 2 great-grandchildren. Funeral 10:30 am Tues. St. Patrick’s Catholic Church, Fremont. Rosary 7:30 pm Mon. at Church. Visitation Mon. 2-5 pm at Funeral Home and 6-7:30 pm at Church. Burial Calvary Cemetery, Fremont with Military Honors. Memorials to the church.

MOSER MEMORIAL CHAPEL Fremont, NE 402-721-4490

~~~ Obituary courtesy of the Washington County Genealogical Society. Newspaper clippings on file in the Blair Public Library at Blair, Nebraska.~~~

Printed in the Washington County Pilot-Tribune on 7/12/2005


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