Leonard E. Felmlee

Leonard Felmlee Obituary
Leonard E. Felmlee, 92, of Seneca, left this earthly home very unexpectedly on the evening of July 10, 2024. He was welcomed home to Heaven by his devoted and loving wife, Lucia M. McKinley Felmlee, who had preceded him in death five years earlier on January 19, 2019 and whom he dearly missed. He and Lucia had known each other since third grade and were united in marriage on June 5, 1954, at Christ Episcopal Church, in Oil City, by the Reverend Canon Thomas L. Small and they shared 64 years together before her passing.
Leonard was born on February 24, 1932 at home in Tippery, he was the third child and oldest son of the late Arthur and Leota Fry Felmlee. He graduated from the industrial arts class at Oil City High School in 1950. He worked at Archer's Garage in the third ward for ten years, except for a two-year interruption from November of 1955 to November of 1957, to serve in the Army at Fort Bliss, El Paso, Texas, where he was a truck mechanic.
Leonard spent his whole life working with his hands. Anything mechanical and how it worked interested him. All his life he had fixed, repaired, built, made and restored things. Working as a mechanic was the only trade he ever knew. In 1960 Leonard became the mechanic for the Cranberry Township and he spent the next 42 years employed there. In 1986, he became the road master and took over the responsibility of maintaining the roads in the township until his retirement in 2002 at the age of 70. During that time also he owned his own business, a small repair garage where he worked evenings and weekends.
After retirement he continued to work on vehicles, restored a pair of old Farmall tractors and several smaller tractors. He was always happiest when he was tinkering around at his garage, fixing this or that something he enjoyed right up till he was no longer physically able to do so about two years ago. He spent countless hours in his workshop, creating, designing and making bridges and buildings for his two model train display tables. He also enjoyed reading, putting puzzles together, many of which he glued together and made frames for, going out to eat and spending time with family. He was a member of the Fryburg Sportsman's Club.
Leonard is survived by a daughter, Leann M. Felmlee-Brown and her husband James, their children, Zachary W. Brown, Amanda M. Brown and Lucia C. Brown and her fiancé, Daniel B. Swab II with whom he shared his home and whose wedding he was looking forward to attending next month. A son, Luke E. Felmlee and his wife Kinberly.
Also surviving are two sisters, Miriam Felmlee Dunn Storch, Joyce Felmlee Meade and a sister-in-law, Patsy Bickel Felmlee. Two brothers, Kenneth Felmlee and Thomas Felmlee and his wife Marilyn, and several nieces and nephews.
In addition to his parents, he was preceded in death by two brothers, Gerald Felmlee and an infant brother, David Felmlee; and a sister, Delores Graham.
Friends will be received at Hile-Best Funeral Home, 2781 Rte. 257 in Seneca, on Monday (July 15) from 12 to 3 p.m. The V.E.T.S. Honor Guard will accord full military honors at the funeral home Monday at 3 p.m., followed by a funeral service with the Reverend Mark Elliston of Christ Episcopal Church, officiating. Interment will be in Brandon Cemetery in Cranberry.
In lieu of flowers, memorial contributions may be made to Christ Episcopal Church, 16 Central Ave, Oil City, PA 16301; or a charity of one's choice.
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