GREAT FALLS TRIBUNE Sunday, June 11, 2006

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Thackeray, Leonard Louis

HAVRE -- Leonard Louis Thackeray, 86, of Havre, a World War II Army Air Force veteran and retired Montana Highway Department employee, died Friday at Northern Montana Care Center after suffering a stroke.
Visitation is 9 a.m. to 11 a.m. Tuesday at Holland and Bonine Funeral Home in Havre. His funeral is 11 a.m. Tuesday at the funeral home, with burial with military honors in Highland Cemetery. A fellowship luncheon will follow at Calvary Baptist Church in Havre.
Survivors include his wife, Thurza Thackeray of Havre; children, Stephen Thackeray of Havre, Lorna Thackeray of Billings, Garnet Bergren of Havre, Kare Kamla of Colorado Springs, Colo., and Barbara Adelblue of Billings; brothers Fred Thackeray, Webster Thackeray and Raymond Thackeray, all of Havre; and seven grandchildren.

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BILLINGSS GAZETTE Sunday, June 11, 2006

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Leonard Louis Thackeray

GREAT FALLS - Leonard Louis Thackeray, 86, died June 9, 2006, at the Northern Montana Care Center after suffering a stroke. He had battled Parkinson's disease for several years.
Viewing will be from 9 to 11 a.m. Tuesday, June 13, with his funeral service beginning at 11 a.m. Tuesday at the Holland & Bonine Funeral Chapel with Pastor Adam Harris officiating. Burial with full military honors will follow at the Highland Cemetery. A fellowship luncheon will be held at the Calvary Baptist Church, 1204 Cleveland Avenue in Havre.
Memorial contributions in Leonard's honor may be made to Bear Paw Hospice, 30 West 13th Street Havre, MT 59501 or to the Veteran Honor Guard P.O. Box 497 Havre, MT 59501. Services and arrangements have been entrusted to Holland & Bonine Funeral Home of Havre.
Mr. Thackeray was born Sept. 4, 1919, in Havre to Lena Ledig Thackeray and Jack Thackeray. He grew up with his brothers John, Fred, Webster and Raymond on the family ranch in the Bear Paw Mountains. He attended a country school near the ranch, where he was a school spelling bee champion. The boys had the run of the Bear Paws and Beaver Creek on Sunday, their day off.
His mother taught him to play the accordion, and he performed with friends at country dances. He remembered trailing cattle from the ranch at the head of Bullhook Creek into Havre and a train trip to the stockyards in Chicago.
On April 19, 1942, he was inducted into the Army and served in the Army Air Force during World War II. Most of his service was as a medical technician at the Santa Ana Army Air Base in California. One his favorite stories was of when he shared a drink with Air Force legend General J.H. Doolittle, whom Mr. Thackeray helped care for at the medical facility there: the general had a shot of Four Roses and told Mr. Thackeray to have a glass too.
He loved cars and was an excellent mechanic. During the war, servicemen at Santa Ana were encouraged to work at the docks when they were off duty. He earned enough helping load ships to buy a 1932 convertible to tour the state.
At the end of the war, Mr. Thackeray was sent to the Philippines where he served until he was honorably discharged Jan. 4, 1946. He took the train back to Montana and said he knew he was home when he started to see magpies. Mr. Thackeray said he had seen enough of the world during the war and rarely left Montana once he was discharged.
After the war, his best friend, Art Evert introduced Mr. Thackeray to Thurza Kenny, a registered nurse at Sacred Heart Hospital in Havre. Evert was married to Thurza's sister Viola. Leonard and Thurza were married June 4, 1949, in Havre.
They lived on the family ranch until after their first two children were born. Mr. Thackeray worked on a ranch near Havre and later for the Great Northern Railroad for a brief time. In 1954, he was hired by the Montana Highway Department, where he worked until his retirement in 1978. After retirement, he worked for Bergren Transmission for a few years.
He was active in the VFW and was a member of the honor guard. He loved to participate in Memorial Day ceremonies at the courthouse and was a frequent volunteer at the club. He served as the post historian for a time and enjoyed keeping the scrapbook. He was also a member of the Havre Eagles Club.
Survivors include his wife, Thurza of Havre, and children, Stephen Thackeray of Havre, Lorna Thackeray (Gary Moore) of Billings, Garnet (Richard) Bergren of Havre, Karen (Jack) Kamla of Colorado Springs, Colo., and Barbara (Ken) Adelblue of Billings. He is also survived by seven grandchildren, Julia and Kyle Bergren; Katie Kamla Matter and Zach Kamla; Mason and Kimberly Adelblue; and Stephen Moore. Survivors also include his brothers Fred, Webster and Raymond, all of Havre.
He was preceded in death by his parents and his brother, JohnThackeray.

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HAVRE DAILY NEWS Monday, June 12, 2006

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LEONARD THACKERAY

Leonard Louis Thackeray, 86, of Havre died Friday, June 9, 2006, at

Northern Montana Care Center after suffering a stroke. He had battled

Parkinson's disease for several years.

Viewing will be from 9 to 11 a.m. Tuesday with his funeral service

beginning at 11 a.m. Tuesday at the Holland & Bonine Funeral Chapel with

Pastor Adam Harris officiating. Burial with full military honors will follow

at Highland Cemetery. A fellowship luncheon will be held at Calvary Baptist

Church, 1204 Cleveland Ave. in Havre.

Thackeray was born Sept. 4, 1919, in Havre to Lena Ledig Thackeray and

Jack Thackeray. He grew up with his brothers John, Fred, Webster and Raymond

on the family ranch in the Bear Paw Mountains. He attended a country school

near the ranch, where he was a school spelling bee champion. The boys had

the run of the Bear Paws and Beaver Creek on Sunday, their day off.

His mother taught him to play the accordion, and he performed with

friends at country dances. He remembered trailing cattle from the ranch at

the head of Bullhook Creek into Havre and a train trip to the stockyards in

Chicago.

On April 19, 1942, he was inducted into the Army and served in the Army

Air Force during World War II. Most of his service was as a medical

technician at the Santa Ana Army Air Base in California. One his favorite

stories was of when he shared a drink with Air Force legend General J.H.

Doolittle, whom Thackeray helped care for at the medical facility there: the

general had a shot of Four Roses and told Thackeray to have a glass, too.

He loved cars and was an excellent mechanic. During the war, servicemen

at Santa Ana were encouraged to work at the docks when they were off duty.

He earned enough helping load ships to buy a 1932 convertible to tour the

state.

At the end of the war, Thackeray was sent to the Philippines, where he

served until he was honorably discharged Jan. 4, 1946. He took the train

back to Montana and said he knew he was home when he started to see magpies.

Thackeray said he had seen enough of the world during the war and rarely

left Montana once he was discharged.

After the war, his best friend, Art Evert introduced Thackeray to Thurza

Kenny, a registered nurse at Sacred Heart Hospital in Havre. Evert was

married to Thurza's sister Viola. Leonard and Thurza were married June 4,

1949, in Havre.

They lived on the family ranch until after their first two children were

born. Thackeray worked on a ranch near Havre and later for the Great

Northern Railway for a brief time. In 1954, he was hired by the Montana

Highway Department, where he worked until his retirement in 1978. After

retirement, he worked for Bergren Transmission for a few years.

He was active in the VFW and was a member of the honor guard. He loved

to participate in Memorial Day ceremonies at the courthouse and was a

frequent volunteer at the club. He served as the post historian for a time

and enjoyed keeping the scrapbook. He was also a member of the Havre Eagles

Club.

He was preceded in death by his parents and his brother John Thackeray.

Survivors include his wife, Thurza, of Havre; children, Stephen

Thackeray of Havre, Lorna (Gary Moore) Thackeray of Billings, Garnet

(Richard) Bergren of Havre, Karen (Jack) Kamla of Colorado Springs, Colo.,

and Barbara (Ken) Adelblue of Billings; seven grandchildren; brothers, Fred,

Webster and Raymond, all of Havre.

Memorial contributions in Leonard's honor can be made to Bear Paw

Hospice, 30 13th St. W., Havre, MT 59501 or to the Veteran Honor Guard, P.O.

Box 497, Havre, MT 59501.

Services and arrangements have been entrusted to Holland & Bonine

Funeral Home.

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