Leon Akeley's Obituary
Leon Francis Akeley 92, died in his home in Huntersville, NC on December 14, 2024 surrounded by family and loved ones. Leon was born on August 16, 1932, in Lewiston, Maine to the late Leon Francis Akeley, Sr. and Irene Lelonde Akeley.
Leon grew up in Lewiston and graduated from Lewiston high school in 1950. In 1952, while attending business college at Bliss Business School, he was drafted by the US Army for the Korean war. After basic training at Fort Bliss Texas, he was immediately shipped to Korea. While serving, he obtained the rank of Staff Sergeant with Sergeant Major MOS. Upon his return to the states, he attended the University of Maine in Orono where he earned a BS degree in Mechanical Engineering in 1959. He married his wife of 64 years, Helen Ramsay Akeley, on February, 25, 1956. They shared 4 children together Linda, Peter, Michael and Pamela and remained married until her death in 2018.
Leon spent 40 years in the paper industry, holding positions of design engineer, erector supervisor and sales engineer and eventually being promoted to VP of Sales for a muti-national corporation based out of Finland. He was prestigious in the paper industry and made numerous contributions in the technological advancements and practices of industry. After years of worldwide travel he retired in 1997 and focused on Family.
Proceeding Leon’s death are wife and granddaughters,
Helen R. Akeley (wife)
Allyson Akeley
Natalee Van Landingham
Surviving Leon are:
Daughter: Linda Ernst, husband Loren.
Daughter: Pamela Van Landingham.
Son: Peter Akeley, wife Lisa.
Son: Michael Akeley, Wife Jennifer.
Grandchildren: Peter Akeley Jr., wife Katherine, Noelle Shields; Jordan Hallman, husband
Bryan; Kristin Kennedy, husband Chad.
Great Grand Children: Peter Akeley III, Gabriel Ospina-Smith, Leif Miles, Kaila Miles, Mika
Hudson, Alen Kennedy, Kathryn Kennedy, Grayson Hallman, Christian Hallman.
In lieu of flowers, donations can be made to Hospice of North Carolina or K9’s For Warriors, Warrior Dog foundation etc.
The funeral service will be held at 11 AM Thursday, December 19 at James Funeral Home with visitation one hour prior and burial following at Mount Zion Community Cemetery.
James Funeral Home of Huntersville is serving the family.
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