Colonel Gerald “Gerry” A. Leen (USAF Retired), age 99, of Silverdale, died on Dec. 7, 2015.
He was born on April 3, 1916, in Cupar, Saskatchewan, Canada, to Emma and Mindert Leen from Holland. His parents, with Gerald and his brother Ed, immigrated to the Pacific Northwest in 1919, residing on Whidbey Island, then at Ferndale, Lynden and Everson in Whatcom County. Colonel Leen attended Lynden and Mount Baker Union high schools. He is a graduate of L.L. Adcox Trade School of Portland in diesel engineering.
He enlisted in the U.S. Army Air Corps in 1937, becoming an aircraft mechanic and supply technician. He attended the University of Washington during 1939 to 1940, at which time he received a flying cadet appointment. Upon completion of flight training, he was commissioned in the Army Air Corps. His first five years were spent giving flight training to advanced students and instructor training to experienced military pilots.
In 1941, he married the former Florence Hendrickson of Bremerton in San Antonio, Texas. The remainder of his 27 years of service in the United States Air Force was spent in logistical career fields and command-pilot flight assignments.
Colonel Leen had 5,000 accident-free flying hours in 35 different types of propeller and jet-driven aircraft. He flew in the Berlin Airlift. Tours of service took him to Hawaii, Germany, Japan, Korea, Taiwan, the Philippines and numerous bases in the United States. He traveled in over 100 countries as well as to every U.S. state.
He retired from the Air Force in 1964 and was employed for 12 years by the Renton School District as director of manpower training and director of purchasing. After retiring from the school district, Colonel Leen resided in Belfair on Hood Canal for 19 years and then moved to the Crista Shores Retirement Community in Silverdale, where he and wife Florence were charter members.
He has remained active in church, fraternal, community and military activities. He was a member of the Central Kitsap Presbyterian Church, Hood Canal Lodge No. 288 F&AM, The Military Officers Association of America, Air Force Association and the Air Force Flying School Class of 40-G Association.
His wife Florence preceded him in death in June 1998. He is survived by sons Monte of Bellevue and La Quinta, California, and Brian of Albuquerque, New Mexico; daughter Gerri of Reston, Virginia; three grandchildren, two great-grandchildren and and four great-great-grandchildren.
Services will be at 1 p.m. on Wednesday, Dec. 16, in Central Kitsap Presbyterian Church of Silverdale. Internment will be at Tahoma National Cemetery in Kent.
In lieu of flowers, memorials may be made to the Good Samaritan Fund, Crista Shores, 1600 N.W. Crista Shores Lane, Silverdale, WA 98383-9101.
