LEONARD "LEE" EILBACHER

1934 - 2020

LEONARD "LEE" EILBACHER, a long-time resident of Fort Wayne, passed away on Tuesday, Dec. 1, 2020, with family at his side in Venice, Fla. Lee was born in Coffey ville, Kan., on Oct. 9, 1934, and moved with his family at age 15 to Whiting, Ind. He graduated from Bishop Noll Institute in Hammond, Ind., in 1952. After stints at University of Notre Dame and Indiana University, Lee entered the Navy flight program in Pensacola, Fla. For five years he served on active duty as a Naval Aviator, principally as an aircraft carrier pilot in the earlier days of jet aviation. His love of flying continued well into his seventies as an active member of the Kendallville Soaring Club in Ohio. He held a Commercial Pilot license with ratings for single and multi engine airplanes and gliders and was a Rated Flight Instructor in single engine airplanes and gliders. After military service, Lee continued his studies at Indiana University. He graduated with a B.S. in Business Administration in 1962 and with a J.D. from Indiana University School of Law School in 1965. Upon admission to the practice of law, he joined the Fort Wayne law firm of Hunt Suedhoff & Wilks, where he served as a recognized trial lawyer for 32 years until retiring as senior partner in the firm then known as Hunt Suedhoff Borror & Eilbacher. Thereafter, he and other AV-rated lawyers formed the firm of Eilbacher Scott, later known as Eilbacher Fletcher, in which he was active until 2010. In the course of Lee's distinguished legal career, he was elected as President of the Allen County Bar Association in 1988 and was a founder of the Allen County Bar Foundation the following year. He was proud to have been invited to become a member of the prestigious American College of Trial Lawyers in 1984 and was honored as a Diplomate of the Defense Trial Counsel of Indiana. An avid legal writer, Lee published articles in various journals, including the Indiana Law Review, published by the Indiana University School of Law at Indianapolis. Sharing his vast knowledge of trial practice with fellow lawyers, he frequently taught litigation seminars at the National Institute for Trial Advocacy and the Indiana Continuing Legal Education Forum. Later in life, his interest in teaching took him to universities in Xi'an, China to teach students conversational English through Global Volunteers. Lee is survived by his wife of 63 years, Jean Eilbacher; children, Lynn Eilbacher of Sarasota, Fla., and Rachel Meisner (Christopher) of Fort Wayne; two grandchildren, Delaney and Dylan Meisner; and brother, Charles (Carol) Eilbacher of Vero Beach, Fla. An interment to honor Lee's life will be held at the National Cemetery in Sarasota, Fla., at a future time. In lieu of flowers, the family would appreciate donations to the Tidewell Foundation: https://tidewellfoundation.org/donate or mailing to Tidewell Foundation, 5955 Rand Blvd., Sarasota, FL 34238.