Norman Eugene Leas ¹

  General Notes:

Norman "Gene" Leas was a farmer in Dekalb County. He and Thelma owned a farm that was located just west of Ashley and just south of Hudson.


The following was from the Dekalb County Indiana Genealogy Society web page:

Norman Eugene Leas
Submitted by Roselyn Wells

Friday, November 7, 1986 - The Evening Star

N. Eugene Leas

Ashley - N. Eugene Leas, 74, of Route 1, Ashley, died at his home Thursday afternoon.

Mr. Leas was born Sept. 5, 1912 in Hudson to Warren and Leola (Spangler) Leas. He married Thelma B. Westbrook on Jan. 6, 1935 in Auburn. She survives.

Mr. Leas was a farmer and lifetime resident of the area. He was also a member of the St. John's United Church of Christ.

Also surviving are four daughters, Mrs. Harold (Carole) Wilhelm, Waterloo, Mrs. Philip (Linda) Snider, Hicksville, Ohio, Mrs. Sandra Shuman, Ashley, and Mrs. Jim (Kathy) Carunchia, Kendallville.

Three sons survive: Norman E. Leas, Jr., Fort Wayne, David A. Leas, Greensburg and Mark S. Leas, Mishawaka.

Also surviving are three brothers, Vance Leas, Ashley, Arnold Leas, Richmond and Rex Leas, Arcadia, Fla. and one sister, Phyllis Knight, Lancaster, Calif., 15 grandchildren ant two great grandchildren. Two grand children precede him in death.

Services will be Sunday at 3 p.m. at St. John's United Church of Christ, with Revs. Norman Conklin and Lorin Harrison officiating. Calling will be at the Kistler Funeral Home, Hudson from 2-5 and 7-9 Saturday, as well as one hour prior to services at the church Sunday. Burial will be in the Circle Cemetery, Hudson.

Preferred memorials are to the church.


The following was from the Greensburg Daily News:

Services and burial were Sunday, Nov. 9, 1986,k in Ashley, for N. Eugene Leas, 74, who died unexpectedly Thursday, Nov. 7 at his home in Ashley.

Leas is survived by his wife, Thelma Leas; two sons; four daughters; three brothers; one sister; 14 grandchildren and two great-grandchildren.

He was preceded in death by one sister, three brothers and two grandchildren.

A son, David Leas, and a grandson, Warren Leas, reside at 421 E. Main St., Greensburg.

--Greensburg Daily News (Indiana)
--Wednesday, November 12, 1986

  Noted events in his life were:

• Residence: US Census, 1920, Steuben County, Indiana, USA. Age 7

• Resided: US Census, 1930, Smithfield Township, DeKalb County, Indiana, USA. Lived with his parents.

• Residence, 1930, Smithfield Township, DeKalb County, Indiana, USA.

• Residence, 1940, Smithfield Township, DeKalb County, Indiana, USA.

• United States Census: Resided, 1940, Fairfield Township, Dekalb County, Indiana, USA. Age 26. Gene and his wife, Thelma and their 2 children, Carole and Norman were living with Thelma's grand-father, Charles Conrad.

• Military Draft Registration, 16 Oct 1940, Ashley, Dekalb County, Indiana, USA.

• Residence, 1949, Smithfield Township, DeKalb County, Indiana, USA.

• Residence, 10 Apr 1950, Smithfield Township, DeKalb County, Indiana, USA.

• Occupation: Farmer.

Norman married Thelma Beatrice Westbrook, daughter of Orville Giford Westbrook and Elizabeth Gay Conrad, on 6 Jan 1935 in Ashley, Dekalb County, Indiana, USA. (Thelma Beatrice Westbrook was born on 25 Nov 1917 in Ashley, Dekalb County, Indiana, USA, died on 17 Aug 2001 in Butler, Dekalb County, Indiana, USA and was buried on 20 Aug 2001 in Circle Cemetery, Hudson, Steuben County, Indiana, USA.)

  Noted events in their marriage were:

• Marriage License, 5 Jan 1935, Dekalb County, Indiana, USA.