Leonard M. Catlin

April 6, 1941 - July 5, 2015

Leonard Melvin Catlin, 74, passed from this life Sunday, July 5, 2015 at Kiowa, Kansas. He was born on April 6, 1941 in Anthony, KS, the son of Melvin Claud Catlin and Ruby Smalley Catlin. Leonard attended several area country schools and graduated from Hazelton High School in 1959, where he loved playing basketball. On November 26, 1961 he married Judith Reed at Kiowa, KS.. Leonard was employed in farming, ranching and the construction area in his early married years. He was proud of his work on Wilson Dam at Russell, Ks. where he operated heavy equipment. His first child, Timothy, was born at Russell, during this time. Their daughter, Kimberly, was born at Hutchinson where Leonard learned the trade of carpentry and home remodeling at Zephyr Manufacturing. He had a serious accident while his children were small and changed his work to accommodate his disabilities. The family moved back to the Kiowa area where Leonard worked with farming, cattle and heavy equipment operations. He honed his custom wood working skills, later moving to Enid, Oklahoma, and won many awards at multi-state craft shows. He was self employed as "Wimpy's Woodcrafts", shipping hand made trunks all over the United States. In later years he worked for Enid News & Eagle as a newspaper carrier. He took great pride in his route, walking 10 miles daily, and hand delivering papers to shut ins. He won Newspaper Carrier of The Year. He became a member of the First Christian Church, Kiowa, KS in 1961, where he served in many capacities. He and Judy started a bus ministry, and Leonard enjoyed driving the Sunday School bus picking up children. He was a Pack Leader of the Cub Scouts and Boy Scouts. He loved the outdoors, fishing and camping, and working on various badges with the troops. He had a great sense of humor and appreciated his many friends he made at Kiowa District Manor. He won 2nd place in the Senior Olympics Domino Tournament this year. Surviving are his wife, Judy (Reed) Catlin of Kiowa, KS; one son, Timothy (Kandi) Catlin of Geary, OK; one daughter, Kimberly (Carl) Balding of Medicine Lodge, KS; eight grandchildren, Mandi Marie (Clay) Hattey of Oklahoma City, OK, Sophia Diamond Catlin of Geary, OK, Boston Skyy Catlin of Geary, OK, Lindsay (Tim) Rhymer of Perkins, OK, Shannon (Matt) Thimesch of Kiowa, KS,, Lisa (Chris) Mace of Edmond, OK, Lori (Mike) Spears of Ringwood, OK and Jennifer (Jeremy) Ratzlaff of Enid, OK; nine great-grandchildren, Isabella Thimesch, Myles Thimesch, Finn Rhymer, Sullivan Rhymer, Braxton Mace, Haylee Spears, Emma Spears, Alaina Spears, and Riley Ratzlaff; two brothers, David (Barbara) Catlin of Hazelton, KS and Lloyd Catlin of Salina, KS; one sister, Patsy (Bill) Whitehead of Lyons, KS. He was preceded in death by his parents and one bother, Eddie Catlin. Visitation will be on Wednesday, July 8 from 1:00 to 6:00 p.m. at the Larrison Funeral Home, 120 E. Lincoln, Medicine Lodge, KS 67104. Funeral services will be held on Thursday, July 9, 2015 at 10:00 a.m. at the First Christian Church, Kiowa, KS with Pastors Jacob Davis and Gib Clark officiating. Burial will be in Attica Cemetery, Attica, KS. Memorials may be made to the Kiowa District Manor, Kiowa, KS, the First Christian Church, Kiowa, KS, or Quarters for Canines in care of the funeral home. Condolences may be left at www.larrisonmortuary.com.