Leandro Santi

Services for Leandro J. Len Santi of Clovis will be held at 10:00 a.m. on Friday, March 21, 2014 at Steed Todd Funeral Home Chapel with Brother Bruce Kirby officiating. Burial will follow at Lawn Haven Memorial Gardens Cemetery. Pallbearers are Gary Elliott, Ronnie Eaton, William Harpold, Matt Matlock, Neal Stanfield and Ronald Dickson. Honorary pallbearers will be all members of the local Gideon International Camp and the Mens Bible Class.

Len is survived by his wife, Joyce, one daughter, two sons and their spouses Dixie and Monty Owens, Tyler, Texas Terry and Lynn Santi, Los Lunas, NM Larry and Debbie Santi, Bellevue, Washington. Seven grandchildren and their spouses: Bryan Stilwell and Jill Juneau, Palestine, Texas Debra and Bruce Dowden, Cedar Park, Texas Donnie and Dana Stilwell, Keller, Texas Dr. Stacee and Ellis Longfellow, Bayfield, Colorado Timothy and Jennifer Santi, Marietta, Georgia Jill and Donvan Velez and Nikki and Drew Wetzel, Bellevue, Washington. Also surviving are seventeen greatgrandchildren and one greatgreatgrandchild, two sistersinlaw, lmagene House and Martha Eaton. Clovis, NM and numerous nieces nephews. Len was preceded in death by his father, Aristodemo, mother, Ersilia, two brothers and two sisters.

Len was born on April 15, 1916 and raised in Brooklyn, New York. He worked as an insurance underwriter in the business district of Wall St. His Brooklyn home was located seven blocks from Ebbetts Field, the former home of the Brooklyn Dodgers. Len would sell 25 copies of the Brooklyn Daily Citizen newspaper at .02 a copy to gain free entrance into Ebbetts Field after the sixth inning to watch the Dodgers play. His favorite hobby, baseball, developed into a real love of the sport, eventually leading to a contract with the New York Giants organization at age 24. However, Len, was drafted into the Army Air Corp and was unable to report.

His military career led him to Clovis, NM in December, 1942, where the first 150 men opened Clovis Army Airfield now Cannon Air Force Base. There he met his wife, Joyce Matlock, of Ranchvale and they married on October 8, 1943.

After discharge from military service, the family began farming north of Grier, NM, and continued until Len returned to Federal Civil Service in 1949. The family were members of the Ranchvale Baptist Church during those years. Dr. Herbert Bergstrom one of his pastors led Len to the Lord Jesus Christ on June 15, 1946. From 19471950 while farming Len reactivated his baseball career signing a contract with the Clovis Pioneers as a catcher and third baseman.

Len continued in Federal Civil Service at Cannon AFB until 1960 then moved to George AFB, Victorville, CA. He worked there as supervisor of the Program Construction Branch for the Base Civil Engineer until retirement in 1979. Len and family then returned to Clovis where they resided until his death.

After retirement Len served in various Christian community organizations. He served as a member of Ranchvale, Central and Parkland Baptist churches, the Mens Bible Class and the Clovis Gideon Camp of Gideons International. During retirement Len was very active as a writer addressing many letters to local, state, federal officials and writing numerous public news articles to the Editor of CNJ covering various controversial moral, economic and political issues.

Len always said he was very proud and thankful for the wonderful people and neighbors of the Clovis and surrounding communities for the mentors and role models in his life.

Memorial gifts to purchase Bibles and Testaments may be addressed to Gideons International.

Arrangements are under the care and direction of SteedTodd Funeral Home and Crematory, 800 E Manana Blvd, Clovis, New Mexico 575 7635541. You may also sign the online guest registry at www.steedtodd.com .

Service

Funeral Service

Steed Todd Chapel
800 E. Manana Blvd
Clovis, NM  88101
Friday, March 21, 2014
10:00 a.m.

Cemetery

Lawn Haven Memorial Gardens
1601 E. Llano Estacado
Clovis, NM  88101

Memorial Contributions

#U 30030
Clovis, NM  88102