Leo John Scheberle

Leo John Scheberle December 12, 1917 to January 28, 2018 Leo J. Scheberle, known to most as Lee, was born near St. Mary, Neb., later moving to Sterling, Colo., at age 4. He was the second oldest of 10 children, a first generation American of Austrian and Polish parents ~ Frank Scheberle and Mary (Chrzaszcz) Scheberle. Leo attended St. Anthony Catholic Church & School in Sterling. Lee received a Journalism scholarship to Regis University but couldn’t attend, helping to work the family vegetable farm and at the local sugar beet mill while taking airplane flight lessons. He soloed in 1939, was an assistant flight instructor and deputy sheriff for the Sterling Airport. Lee was inducted into the USAAC as a Second Lieutenant serving 1942-46 at La Junta Colorado Army Air Base as AT-9 and B-25 flight instructor and later High-Altitude B-29 training in Bakersfield, CA. He retired from the U.S. Air Force Reserves-NORAD attaining the rank of Lt. Colonel. From 1946-56, Lee worked for John Park Machinery & Airplane Sales Co and also as FAA Flight Examiner for the Pueblo Air Service private and commercial flight certifications. Lee’s career as a corporate executive pilot began 1956 with Rock Wool Insulation Co. Pueblo, followed by a ‘63 move to Denver as chief pilot for Navajo Freight Lines and finally Public Service Company of Colorado 1965-1982. Lee’s career spanned 43 years piloting a Piper J2 Cub to a sleek Learjet. Lee was an avid golfer and walker, a voracious reader, armchair political observer, photographer, kept a manicured yard-garden, traveled the American Southwest, liked visiting airports and enjoyed fixing things… often finding & repairing other’s discards. He was a Charter Member of AOPA, joined Colorado Aviation Historical Society, Wings Over the Rockies, the Silver Wings Fraternity, is a C.A.H.S. Aviation Hall of Fame Laureate. Lee was a devout Catholic and Mass Usher. While serving at the La Junta Army Air Base, Lee met and later married Mary Winifred Carey, on June 26, 1946. They had two children. Mary Winifred preceded him in death in 2006. Their youngest son Gregory died after a long illness in 1980. Leo is survived by his youngest siblings, a brother Francis Scheberle and sister Mary Ann Hammett, his son Carey (Christine) Scheberle, and grandchildren Matthew Scheberle P.A., Jodi Scheberle, Geoffrey Scheberle, Daniel (Callie) Archuleta, and Lydia Archuleta M.D. (Jeff Porter). The family would like to thank the considerate and dedicated staff at Bonaventure Assisted Living and the gentle caregivers with Sangre De Cristo Hospice. In-lieu of flowers, donations are accepted at Pueblo Weisbrod Aircraft Museum, 31001 Magnuson Ave, Pueblo, CO 81001. Rosary, 6 p.m. Thursday, Feb. 1, 2018, in the Montgomery & Steward Chapel. Funeral Mass, 10 a.m. Friday, Feb. 2, 2018, at St. Paul the Apostle, 1132 W. Oro Grande Dr., Pueblo West. Followed by the interment at 2 p.m. Friday, Feb. 2, 2018, at Fairview Cemetery in La Junta. Online condolences, www.MontgomerySteward.com