L. E. "Lee" Garding

L.E. “Lee” Garding age 90 a former longtime resident of Coffeyville, Kansas passed away on August 26, 2023, at Prairie Homestead Assisted Living in Wichita, Kansas where he had resided for a few years.  

Mr. Garding was born on September 3, 1932, to Alphonse P. and Alice J. (House) Garding in Grant Falls, Montana. He grew up and attended schools in Kalispell, Montana and graduated high school there.  On April 8, 1958, he married Donna DeMott in Reno, Nevada.  The couple made Coffeyville their forever home in 1989. The couple were members of Trinity United Methodist Church where Mr. Garding also was the full-time custodian. Mr. Garding also worked part time as custodian in the USD 445 school system.

Mr. Garding served in the US Military.  While in the military he was a supply clerk beginning the US Army and later transferred to United States Air Force.  His enlistment began in 1950 and continued until his Honorable Discharge in 1973. During his tour he was stationed in Korea, England, Turkey, and Vietnam. Mr. Garding was an active member of the community he was a member of American Legion Post 20, DAV, Coffeyville VFW Post 1022, where he gave visual talks on how to fold and honor the flag. He was the director of the local Patriots Pen Essay Contest at Roosevelt Middle School and FKHS in Coffeyville and the surrounding area among other patriot things.  

Mr. Garding worked for National Steel and Albertson Hien Machine Shop in Wichita, Kansas.  He also worked at Jet Propulsion Laboratory California Institute of Technology in Pasadena, California.  Sitting on the porch in a rocking chair waiting for “when the old age pension check comes to my door” as the song went wasn’t something Mr. Garding did.  At the age of 76 Mr. Garding began working at USD 445 as a janitor first in the grade schools and then the high school, he was a quiet man who was loved and respected by all.   His favorite pastimes were fishing and bowling.  He loved, loved to spend one week with his boys at the NBC Bowling Tournament each year.

Survivors include his two sons Bud and his wife Penny, Roger and his wife Barbara and daughter Robin Talbott, eight grandchildren and nineteen great grandchildren. He was preceded in death by his parents, his loving wife Donna, brothers, Matt, James, Lorin, Mike, and sister Marvel Chambers, and son-in-law Steven Talbott.

Breakfast at Village Inn was a favorite of Lee’s with a good cup of coffee; the family and church congregation invites you to join them for a cup of coffee and refreshments from 9am until service time at 10 am on Friday, September 1, 2023, at Trinity United Methodist Church Ave., 1001 W 8^th, Coffeyville, Kansas. Funeral services will begin at 10 am.   Graveside be held at Spring Hill Cemetery where Lee will be buried next to his wife Donna.  Military Honors will be provided by US Air Force Honor Guard, Coffeyville VFW Post 1022, and Coffeyville American Legion Post 20.  Visitation will be held on Thursday, August 31, 2023, at Ford-Wulf-Bruns Chapel, 2405 Woodland Ave., Coffeyville, KS from 5-7pm. Contributions may be made payable to: Coffeyville VFW Post 1022.  Contributions may be left in care of the chapel. To leave a message of condolence or to share a memory visit Visit www.fordwulfbrunschapel.com to watch the live streaming of the service under his obituary or to leave a message of condolence or share a memory.