Obituary of John H Lechleiter

John H. Lechleiter Jr., born in Nashville January 8, 1923 to Ellielyn Lewis Lechleiter and John H. Lechleiter Sr. Mr. Lechleiter Jr. died peacefully at the age of 94. He was preceded in death by his parents, a brother, Sam Cowan Lechleiter, two sisters, Bettye Mallery and Ellielyn Frost and step daughter, Susan Leap. He is survived by his wife of 40 years, Billie Marie Lechleiter and her daughter, Lesa Bondurant (Jim) and brother, Richard P. Lechleiter (Shirley). He is also survived by 3 children; Lewis Lechleiter (Patricia), James Lechleiter (Melonee), and Peggy Nichols (Dan); sixteen grandchildren, eighteen great grandchildren and several nieces and nephews. He entered the military in the 1940s and was a B-17 pilot in the European Theatre. Their plane was downed ultimately and all of the crew survived with the assistance of the "underground". He came back to complete his college work at Tennessee Tech and was recalled twice to active duty, first in the Berlin Airlift and then the Korean Conflict. He continued his military association in the reserves and retired as a Lt. Colonel. After fifty years he retired from Signal Mountain Cement Company in 2003. A time of visitation with the family will be held on Saturday, November 11, 2017 from 10am until 12 noon in the Chapel of Madison Funeral Home. At the conclusion of visitation, Full Military Honors will be rendered. Inurnment will follow at 2:30pm in Dekalb County Memorial Gardens, Smithville, TN. Donations may be made to St Jude Children's Hospital in Memphis, TN.