New Hampton -- Richard "Whitey" Leichtman, 58, of New Hampton, died Saturday, December 28, 2002 a t Mercy Medical Center in New Hampton of an apparent heart attack.

Funeral Services were held at 11:00 am Wednesday, January 1, 2003 at Trinity Lutheran Church in New Hampton with Reverend David Bergstrom officiating. Dennis Strum was the organist and accompanied those in attendance singing "How Great Thou Art." Ruth Ann Upham and Don DiLaura sang "In The Garden." Don DiLaura also sang "The Our Father" & sang Angels Among Us." Dawn Johnson, Teri Johnson, and Kathy Sanderson placed the pall.

Interment with Graveside Military Rites was in the New Hampton Cemetery with Gary Bast, Ken Seery, Dale Woods, Brad Billings, Bob Soukup, Arlin Severson, Gene Leppert, Gordon Hassman, , Tom McDermott and Duane Leppert serving as casket bearers. Honorary casket bearers were all the wrestlers whose lives were touched by Rich. The New Hampton American Legion and VFW Posts provided graveside military rites.

Visitation was from 2 to 7 pm Tuesday at Conway-Kolbet Funeral Home in New Hampton, where there was a 7:00 pm scripture service. Visitation was also an hour prior to services at the church.

Memorials were directed to the New Hampton Mat Men Wrestling Club c/o Colleen Leichtman 310 West Hamilton, New Hampton, IA 50659.

Richard Joseph Leichtman was born January 21, 1944, a t New Hampton, IA the son of Alden & Gardys (Troutner) Leichtman. He was baptized a t St. Paul's Lutheran Church in New Hampton on February 27, 1944 and was also confirmed there on March 30, 1958. He was a 1962 graduate of the New Hampton High School and went on to further his education at • Iowa State University, graduating in 1968. hi June gf , 1968,; Richard was drafted into the US Army, where he served in Vietnam, and was wounded in action and recieved a Purple Heart. While home on leave from the service he was united in marriage to Colleen Galligan on December 28, 1968 at St. Joseph Church in New Hampton. After his honorable discharge from the service Rich returned to New Hampton. Following his father's death in 1970, he took over the family business, Leichtman    Industrial Hardware and then later started a Tree Service, which he was currently operating. Rich also managed the New Hampton Swimming Pool for 15 years.

Rich was known for his wrestling ability. He was an Iowa High School State Champion, and an All-American at Iowa State, where he was a letter winner. An injury kept him from wrestling his senior season. He was also inducted into the New Hampton Athletic Hall of fame. Rich, along with Paul Horan, started the New Hampton Matmen Wrestling Club for the youth in 1981. Rich volunteered with the New Flampton High School Wrestling team and later became an assistant and head wrestling coach. He had continued wrestling through out his life, traveling to Old-Timers Tournaments, as well as going to area colleges to work out. He was a member of Trinity Lutheran Church in New Hampton, Where he taught Sunday school for many years. He was a member of the New Hampton VFW and Legion Posts, and gave many Memorial Day addresses in the surrounding communities.

Rich had many hobbies, one of them Was pursuing a lifelong dream to work on the railroad, collecting model trains, spending time at his home in Lansing, spending time with family and friends, playing softball and cards, music and singing, and his dogs. He also had a great love for Canada and a great sense of humor. Rich will always be remembered as a person who befriended those in need. His overwhelming support of others;    whose many annonymous contributions can never be numbered. He lived a very . unselfish life. He was greatly loved and will be missed by all the people he touched. Happy trails "Whitey" ~ until we meet again!

Survivors include his wife of 34 years Colleen of New Hampton; a brother Cordell Leichtman of Reedsburg, WI; his father-in-law Duane Galligan; numerous nieces and nephews; and the Galligan family.

Preceding him in death were his parents, a sister Arthenese Sanderson, a twin brother Charles, and a brother Karl; a niece Sara Sanderson, mother-in-law Celine Galligan, and brother-in-law Joseph Galligan.

Source: New Hampton Tribune; Jan. 3, 2003 Page 4
from Elma library collection assembled by Marian (Marr) McGee
Transcribed by ABBYY FineReader® 12, Adapted to the Web by Bill Waters