August 01, 1929 - October 29, 2021
Leland "Lee" Messman, 92, passed away unexpectedly on October 29, 2021. He was born to Elmer and Viola Messman on August 1, 1929 in Dakota, Illinois. Lee married his wife of 58 years, Patricia Ann Hunter, on July 4, 1952 in Peoria, Illinois. They had 5 sons who brought them much happiness.
Leland received his Bachelor’s degree in Special Education in 1959 from Illinois State University in Normal, Illinois. Due to continued vision loss he felt it necessary to get alternative training and earned his Master ‘s degree in Rehabilitation Counseling from the University of Northern Colorado at Greeley, Colorado in 1980.
During his working life, Leland was the Director of a sheltered workshop for the disabled in Peoria, Illinois, a special education teacher for school districts in Peoria, Illinois and Loveland, Colorado, a rehabilitation counselor for the states of Arizona and Wyoming, the author of staff training materials for the Colorado Division of Developmental Disabilities. and a teacher of the blind at the State school in Jacksonville, Illinois. He was also a part owner and manager of an apartment building in Omaha, Nebraska for several years. After retirement, Leland served for a number of years on the State Council for Wyoming Independent Living Rehabilitation and did volunteer work at the local Senior Center in Cheyenne. He enjoyed music, stage productions, reading and his family.
Leland was preceded in death by his parents, his wife, his sons Rondall and Mark, sisters Carol Warren of Peoria, Illinois and Jane Linn of Loveland, Colorado, brothers Alan and Dwyane of Rockford Illinois. He is survived by his son Kevin (Leota), David (Barbara), and Ernest (Jean) all of Cheyenne. Also surviving is a sister June Hayden of Medicine Lake, Montana and two grandchildren Derrick and Krystal Messman both of Pocatella, Idaho.
Funeral service, Tuesday, 10:00 a.m., Kibbey-Fishburn Funeral Home, 1102 N. Lincoln Ave., Loveland, CO 80537.
Interment at Loveland Burial Park next to his wife Patricia.
Donations in lieu of flowers to Davis Hospice Center in Cheyenne, Wyoming.
