John J. Leeper

John J. Leeper (Colonel, U.S. Army, ret.)
Sept. 30, 1925 - July 24, 2019
John was born and grew up in Leon, Decatur County, Iowa, the son of Offie Lovett Leeper and Lula Avis Rumley. He attended Leon public schools and graduated from Leon High School in 1943. John was drafted into the Army during World War II and after being selected for OCS, served in the Pacific Theatre. After the war, John attended Stanford University, where he graduated in 1950. It was at Stanford where he met and married Ermalou Ebener, at the Stanford Chapel in 1949. John and Ermalou were married for 66 years, until her passing in 2016.
With his Reserve Commission in the Army, John was recalled for service during the Korean War, where his younger brother, Offie Lovett Leeper, Jr.,was killed in combat. After his tour of duty in Korea was complete, John, with Ermalou's blessing, decided to make the Army his career. John served with distinction, rising to the rank of Colonel, including two tours in Vietnam and four Legions of Merit. John retired from the Army in 1975, when he and Ermalou were living in the Washington, D.C. area. John and Ermalou decided to move back to the Portland area in 1991, when they moved to the Cedar Hills neighborhood of Washington County.
After moving to Washington County, John became active in the Washington County Citizen Participation Organization and was elected chair of CPO 1 in 1998. John also served on the Metro Technical Advisory Committee from 1996 to 2000, was active on the Beaverton School District Long Range Facilities Planning Committee from 1999 to 2000 and volunteered at Ridgewood Elementary School. John also volunteered as a member of the Washington County Planning Commission from 1997 to 2000. In 2000, the Washington County Commissioner representing District 2 resigned mid-term, and after some encouragement from then-Chair Tom Brian, John applied to fill the vacancy and was awarded the position. In 2002 he was elected to a full four-year term as a Washington County Commissioner, where he served until 2006.
John was preceded in death by his brother, Offie Leeper, Jr. in 1951; and his sister, Jeanne Coltrane in 2015. John is survived by his son, John and wife, Gilly of San Francisco; son, Richard and wife, Tami of Benton, Ark.; son, Joseph and wife, Jane of the Washington, D.C. area; grandchildren, Samuel J., Richard A., Rachael A. and Gideon J.; and a wide array of friends and acquaintances. John is remembered fondly as a loving father, father-in-law, grandfather, friend and acquaintance of all. He considered his highest achievement as raising his three sons who grew into outstanding members of their respective communities. John also received many additional awards and decorations in his professional endeavors.
A service will be held at 2 p.m., Monday, July 29, 2019, at River View Cemetery Funeral Home 300 S.W. Taylors Ferry Road, Portland, OR 97219.
In lieu of flowers, contributions may be made to the Planned Parenthood Federation of America or to the American Cancer Society.
Please sign the online guest book at www.oregonlive.com/obits