Leo Black, 74

Leo R. Black, 74, of Mountain Home, died Friday, April 2, 2004, at a Boise hospital.

Memorial services were held Tuesday, April 6, at Summers Funeral Homes, McMurtrey Chapel in Mountain Home.

Leo Ross Black was born in Coles County, Ill., on April 26, 1929, to I. Cleo Black and Amy Hampsten Black.

He joined the Coast Guard at 18 and enjoyed serving his country on the east coast, Alaska, Hawaii and the Far East. He retired from the Coast Guard in 1968 as a Senior Chief Electrician.

Leo married Barbara Moore in 1949, in Portsmouth, Va. They recently celebrated their 55th wedding anniversary.

In 1972, Leo started working as an electrician at the VA Hospital in Roseburg, Ore. He retired from there in 1991 after 18 years.

Leo was a member of the Elks Lodge 326 in Roseburg, Ore.

He also enjoyed many activities. He was a shade tree mechanic and enjoyed working on cars his entire lifetime. He was also a "fix-it-man" and could "literally fix anything," his family said. "Most of all Leo loved to spend time with his family camping, fishing, and crabbing on the Oregon coast. He was a country music fan and deeply patriotic. He loved his country.

"To his friends," his family said, "Leo was a man that could be counted on for anything at any time. He was happy to help or fix or do what was needed. He was a kind and generous man. To his family he was our rock. A man of few words, but when he spoke it was always important, meaningful or funny. Someone we could count on always. . . forever."

Leo is survived by: his wife, Barbara, of Mountain Home; daughter Pamela J. White of Snohomish, Wash.; son Steven R. Black and his wife, Deb, of Mountain Home; nine grandchildren, and five great grandchildren.

He was preceded in death by his parents and one brother.

Memorials may be made in Leo's name to the American Cancer Society, 2676 Vista Ave., Boise, ID 83705.