Leland Blaine "Lee" Dennhardt

1942 - 2024

Lee Dennhardt

May 24, 1942 - March 22, 2024

GRAND ISLAND -

Leland "Lee" Blaine Dennhardt, 81, of Grand Island passed away on Friday, March 22, 2024.

Service and celebration of Lee's life will be held at 10:30 a.m., Tuesday, April 2, 2024, at All Faiths Funeral Home with Dan Naranjo officiating. Burial will follow at Westlawn Memorial Park Cemetery.

There will be a visitation from 5-7 p.m. Monday, April 1, at the funeral home. Memorials are suggested to the family to be designated at a later date.

Lee was born May 24, 1942, in Jefferson, Iowa, the son of Clarence and Letha (Stogsdill) Dennhardt. As a young boy, the family relocated to Giltner Nebraska, before moving to Grand Island where he continued his education. Lee was a 1959 graduate of Grand Island Senior High.

Lee was ambitious and worked at any job he could find, beginning at a young age. When the service station he was employed at, was starting to go under, he went to the employment office where he was given an appointment to talk to Van, at Vans Electric. He was a little scared of electricity, but he needed a job. His lifetime career took off. He was eventually the owner/operator of "Lee's Electric".

On July 22, 1989, Lee married Judy Spencer, his long-time coffee buddy, and listener of all his stories. They made their home here in Grand Island.

He was a past member of the Saddle Club and the Platt Duetsche.

Lee was a workaholic. He loved his job, his family, classic cars, his Harley, NASCAR, and Miller Lite.

He worked long, hard hours. Even if you didn't see his truck, you knew he was there. The music would be blaring. Since he was a single Dad, life was a day-to-day adventure for he and his two girls. He loved those girls, and told them so often.

He loved everything about cars, even as a little guy. Starting in his early teens, he began buying and selling vehicles, sometimes only owning one for 24 hours. He never forgot any detail about the car. He remembered who he purchased it from, the price he paid for it, who he sold it to, and how much money he made on it

NASCAR was "his thing" and Tony Stewart was "his guy." Through good years, and some bad ones, he always knew Tony was going to win.

Those who will cherish his memory include his wife, Judy; daughters Tracy (Ken) Drake of Williston, North Dakota and Tammy (Jeff) Schoen of Wichita, Kansas.

His grandchildren include Kaitlyn (Greg) Iburg, Kelsey (Jeff) Kort, Kyle (Emily) Drake, Jessica (Blaine) Gibbons, Katie (Wes) Slack and Nathan Jones; great-grandchildren include Tinsley and Hunter Iburg, Presleigh, Braxton, and Jamisyn Kort, Adrian, Miles, and Charli Gibbons, Nora, Crew, and Jett Drake, and Luke Slack.

He is also survived by a brother, Loren Dennhardt of Grand Island; sisters-in-law, Reva Dennhardt of Hastings, Dorothy Dennhardt of Grand Island, Rose (Jasung) Spencer of Altadena, California, and Jodi (Troy) Hughes of Los Alamos, New Mexico; brothers-in-law, Gerald (Andrea) Spencer and Larry Spencer, both of Grand Island; and numerous nieces and nephews.

He was preceded in death by his parents; three brothers, Francis, Don, and Gary; a brother-in-law, Jon Spencer; and a sister-in-law, Joy Dennhardt.

Online condolences may be left at www.giallfaiths.com.

I'm sure gonna miss this guy. I love you.

Judy