Ross Allen Leeper (2019)

GOEDTKE, JENKINS LEEPER, MAPES, TRAN

Posted By: Pat Hochstetler (email)
Date: 11/8/2023 at 18:04:40

Overton Funeral Home
Indianola, Iowa

Services for Ross Allen Leeper, 85, who passed away Thursday, April 11, 2019 at home, will be held 10:30 a.m. Tuesday, April 16, 2019 at the Indianola First United Methodist Church with burial following in the Penn Center Cemetery, Earlham, IA.

He is survived by is wife Shirley, children, Dr. Jeffrey (Janene) Leeper, Kristen (Steven) Goedtke; foster children, Thien Tran and Hieu Tran; grandchildren, Rachel Leeper, Jessica Goedtke, Hannah Leeper, Ethan Leeper, Rebecca Goedtke, Miranda Goedtke, Jonathan Goedtke and Mikaela Goedtke; sister, Janet Jenkins. He was preceded in death by his parents, Merle and Ruth Leeper and sister, Lola Mapes.

Visitation will be held 4 to 8 p.m. at Overton Funeral Home with family present from 6 to 8 p.m. Memorials may be given to the American School Band Directors Association Education Foundation Inc.

To view a complete obituary or sign an online condolence, visit our website at overtonfunerals.com.
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Overton Funeral Home
Indianola, Iowa

Services for Ross Allen Leeper, 85, who passed away Thursday, April 11, 2019 at home, will be held 10:30 a.m. Tuesday, April 16, 2019 at the Indianola First United Methodist Church with burial following in the Penn Center Cemetery, Earlham, IA.

Ross Allen Leeper was born on November 27, 1933 to Merle and Ruth (DeVault) Leeper, on the family farm near Earlham, Iowa. The family of five included his older sister Lola (Leeper) Mapes and his younger sister Janet (Leeper) Jenkins. As music was always a part of the Leeper household, he pursued his own love of music as a music education major. He transferred to Drake College and graduated with a bachelor’s degree in 1955 (he later earned a master’s degree at Drake). He met his wife Shirley (Paasch) during their time at Simpson College and they married in 1956. He served in the U.S. Army Band for two years. He taught junior high band for 32 years (31 years at Eagle Grove, Iowa) and was then conductor of bands at Simpson College for 11 years. After a brief retirement he returned to teaching and was the high school band director in Knoxville, Iowa for 10 years, finally accepting “early” retirement from full-time teaching at age 78! Again, he found retirement uninteresting, and so for the past 5 years he has been teaching music at Dowling High School several days a week, including the day he died.

His devotion to music was seen in many ways. He served in various capacities for many organizations, including President of the Iowa Bandmasters Association (IBA) and the national American School Band Directors Association (ASBDA). His many awards include the IBA Karl King Distinguished Service Award, the ASBDA Edwin Franko Goldman Award, and selection as one of the ten most outstanding music educators in North America for 1977-78 by the School Musician magazine. He played for decades in the Karl King Band in Fort Dodge, including many with Karl King himself. He played in various dance bands for over 60 years (but had to cancel his last one scheduled for April 14, 2019).

In addition to teaching many thousands of students the joys of music, he became a close friend and mentor to many of them. He had an impish grin, a playful personality, and enjoyed the many practical jokes he played on friends and family. He was proud of his children and grandchildren, and just as he was with his music students, he was an important and helpful figure in their lives.

The following originally was written to Ross by his father Merle. It was then passed down to Ross’ son Jeff and grandsons Ethan and Jonathan:

“You are now 12 years old. Soon you will be a man, out in the world and on your own. When tempted to do that which you believe to be not right, stop and ask yourself this question: “Would Dad and Mother want me to do this?” If still in doubt, consult the Ten Commandments and follow that advise. Remember too that no one ever acquired success except through diligent efforts.”

Visitation will be held 4 to 8 p.m., Monday, April 15 at Overton Funeral Home with family present from 6 to 8 p.m. Memorials may be given to the American School Band Directors Association Education Foundation Inc.

Madison Obituaries maintained by Linda Griffith Smith.
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