Leonard Kerkhoff

1925 - 2018

Leonard Frank Kerkhoff, beloved husband of the late Laurie Jean Kerkhoff, passed away peacefully in Saanichton, British Columbia on Tuesday, May 22, 2018 at the age of 92 years.

 The Funeral Mass was celebrated at St. Augustine's Catholic Church, 5009 - 48 Avenue, Taber on Tuesday, May 29, 2018 at 1:00 P.M. Burial followed at the Taber Memorial Garden.

 Leonard is survived by his children Laurence “Larry” Kerkhoff of Calgary, Lanny Kerkhoff of Calgary, Lindsay Kerkhoff of Edmonton and Laraine (Ed) Niewinski of Brentwood Bay, British Columbia and by eight grandchildren as well as numerous nieces and nephews.

 He was predeceased by his  wife Laurie Jean; siblings Laurence, Art, Everett, Ted, Bernard and Josephine. 

 Leonard was born on October 24, 1925 in Taber, the seventh of seven children born to Julia and Frank Kerkhoff. He spent his early years in Taber. Leonard left Taber in his late teens to earn his Chemical Engineering degree at the University of Alberta in Edmonton. 

 After returning to Taber in 1947, he met Laurie Potter when she was nursing his father at the Taber hospital. Unfortunately, Frank died soon after.

 Leonard worked for California Standard as a Petroleum Engineer and married Laurie on October 6, 1948.

 They lived in Edmonton until 1961, when they moved to Calgary and built a home on Churchill Drive.  They were blessed with four children.

 They sold the house in Calgary and travelled to California in their motor home, eventually purchasing a home in San Vicente in 1985, where they both shared golf, music and adventures with family and old and new friends. 

 They returned to Canada in 1992 and built a house in Osooyos where they continued to enjoy life on the golf course with family and new friends. 

 After Laurie’s death in 2012, Leonard moved to Victoria to be near his daughter and son-in-law, Laraine and Ed Niewinski.

 Leonard will be greatly missed and lovingly remembered for his dry sense of humor, love of golf and a glass (or two) of wine.

 The Kerkhoff family would like to thank all the staff at the Saanich Peninsula Hospital Extended Care Unit #1 for their kind and loving care of Leonard.