Leroy Kuest

Editors note: Due to corrections supplied by the family after printing on March 5, 2015, we are printing this again.

Leroy Kuest died Saturday, February 21, 2015, at Rockwood at Hawthorne care center.

Born in Odessa on August 25, 1918, he was the last of seven children of Julius and Rosena Kuest, who had homesteaded in the area before 1900. Leroy graduated from Odessa High School, worked for the local Richfield service station and in 1942 joined the Army Air Corps.

Throughout World War II, he was stationed in England near Bury St. Edmunds, where he was a crew chief maintaining B-17 bombers – a member of the 331st squadron of the 94th Bomb Group of the Eighth Air Force. At a dance in London, he met his future wife, Margaret McCurdy. They were married in Odessa Sept. 15, 1946.

Leroy and Margarite lived in Quincy, Odessa and Moses Lake, before moving to Spokane in 1961, and then to a ranch on Indian Prairie in the Seven-Mile area. They operated a Tastee Freeze on Ash and Nora in Spokane, as well as the Hole ‘n One Donut Shop at Northtown. Leroy later delivered fuel for Cenex in Reardan and drove a truck during harvest.

Throughout his life, Leroy helped to keep alive the history of the 94th Bomb Group by sharing his memoirs and collection of photographs from the war. He was also active in organizing reunions of former servicemen from the 94th. The couple returned to England more than once and in the 1990s were present for a ceremony dedicating a rose garden on the abbey grounds of Bury St. Edmunds to the 94th Bomb Group servicemen who had been stationed nearby at Rougham Air Field.

In retirement, Leroy and Margarite greatly enjoyed their farm and animals before moving to an apartment at Hawthorne retirement community in north Spokane in 1998. They were members of Christ Lutheran Church, Odessa; Messiah Lutheran, Spokane; Emmanuel Lutheran, Reardan, and St. Luke’s Lutheran, Spokane.

Leroy was preceded in death by his parents; his brothers Oscar, Reinhold, and Jack; his sisters Alma (Smith), Edna (Schimke), and Maude (Giese); and by his wife Margaret in 2005. He is mourned by several nieces and nephews (also great and great-great), as well as many good friends.

A memorial service will be held at Rockwood at Hawthorne, Wednesday, March 25, 2015 at 3 pm, and a graveside with Honor Guard later in the spring.

Memorials may be made to The Foundation at Rockwood at Hawthorne or Hospice of Spokane

Please sign the online guestbook at http://www.stratefuneralhome.com. Strate Funeral Home, Davenport, is caring for the family.