Leroy G. Hannebaum

Leroy Glenn Hannebaum, beloved brother, father, and grandfather, aged 81, passed peacefully surrounded by family at Ascension Via Christi Hospital in Manhattan, Kansas, on Sunday, June 22, 2025.
He was born three days after D-Day, on June 9, 1944, in Salina, KS, the son of Glenn and Opal Hannebaum. They lived on a farm west of Hedville, Kansas. Leroy was the second oldest of four children. He attended school in Culver, KS, where he began dating the love of his life, Linda Hannebaum (nee' Taylor). Leroy graduated Salutatorian from Culver Rural High School in 1962.
Leroy loved to play sports. In high school he played football, basketball and baseball. He received an invitation to try out for the Kansas City Athletics' minor league baseball team, but he declined because he had farming chores to do in the summer.
Following high school, Leroy attended Kansas State Teachers College Emporia (now Emporia State University), pursuing a degree in Turf Grass Management. He played on the football team there. Following his junior year, Leroy and Linda got married on August 15, 1965, at Trinity Lutheran Church in Salina, KS. After a honeymoon in Colorado, they made their first home in Leonardville, KS, where Leroy completed his B.S. in Horticulture from Kansas State University, and Linda began her teaching career. Later, he served in the National Guard in Fort Leonard Wood, MO, and was a catcher for the 5th Brigade Eagle baseball team in 1967 where he caught some minor league pitchers.
During and following university, Leroy worked at Blueville Nursery, progressing from a laborer to management; he was an early co-owner. Leroy also taught at Kansas State University, and he felt the students were missing vital information from existing literature. At the suggestion and encouragement of one of his professors at KSU, he pursued a calling to write a textbook and left Blueville to focus on writing. Leroy took a year to write and publish his first book in 1980, "Landscape Operations: management, methods, and materials." His second book was published in 1981, "Landscape Design: A Practical Approach." Both publications were edited over the years and republished multiple times. Many universities and colleges utilized them as textbooks for landscape design courses. His second book was published in multiple languages.
Shortly after publishing his first book, Leroy applied his entrepreneurial spirit to his next endeavor; starting his own landscaping company. His company, "Raintree Gardens", operated for five years (1982-1987), in which Leroy imparted his love of landscaping to many residential projects in and around Manhattan. Leroy completed his career as landscape designer at Blackburn Nursery in Topeka, Kansas, and at Horticultural Services in Saint George, Kansas, retiring from the latter. One of his landscape design projects in his community was the Lee Miller Heights common area design. In retirement, Leroy kept busy as a residential and agricultural landlord.
Leroy and Linda had four children: Ty, Tanya, Tara, and Todd Hannebaum. Leroy and Linda were celebrating 51 years of marriage, when Linda preceded him in death in 2016. Leroy was also preceded in death by two children: Tanya Hannebaum in 2008, and Ty Hannebaum in 2023; his parents, Glenn in 2000 and Opal in 2004; and his sister Lucy in 2020.
Leroy is survived by his children: Tara Hannebaum of Arvada, Colorado, Todd Hannebaum, with his wife Zoya of Highlands Ranch, Colorado, and daughter-in-law, Amy Hannebaum, of Byron, Illinois. Leroy is additionally survived by his siblings: Linda Hyde of Emporia, KS, and Leon Hannebaum, with his wife Judy, of Salina, Kansas. Leroy's seven grandchildren include: Jordan Hannebaum of Colorado Springs, Colorado; Cole Doebele of York, Nebraska; Jake Hannebaum of Byron, Illinois; Ryan Doebele of Orlando, Florida; Brooke Hannebaum of Byron, Illinois; Chloe Hannebaum of Highlands Ranch, Colorado; and Noah Hannebaum of Highlands Ranch, Colorado.
Leroy was a devoted husband, father, grandfather, and friend. He loved the simple pleasures in life, such as socializing with friends at a local café, watching his favorite sports with his basset hound "Bo," spending time with his family, and working around the house. To those who knew him best, he was a man of high integrity with a terrific sense of humor, and he will be dearly missed.
A visitation will take place on Tuesday, July 1, from 6-7 pm, at Yorgensen-Meloan-Londeen Funeral Home in Manhattan, KS.
Funeral services will be held at 10:30 a.m. on Wednesday, July 2, 2025, at First Lutheran Church in Manhattan, KS followed by burial at Sunrise Cemetery.
In lieu of flowers, memorial contributions may be made to the Kansas Children's Service League in Topeka, Kansas. Contributions may be left in care of the Yorgensen-Meloan-Londeen Funeral Home, 1616 Poyntz Avenue, Manhattan, Kansas 66502.
Online condolences may be left for the family through the funeral home website at www.ymlfuneralhome.com