Obituary: LeRoy Gruber

LeRoy F. Gruber, 95, of Glen Carbon, formerly of O’Fallon and Calumet, Mich., died Thursday, Jan. 28 at Meridian Village in Glen Carbon.

LeRoy was a retired lieutenant colonel in the U.S. Air Force. Following his retirement from the Air Force, he served as administrative assistant to the mayor in East St. Louis from 1965 to 1979.

He was born Aug. 10, 1920, in Washburn, Wis., the son of the late Edward and Florence (Sirois) Gruber. He first married Judith Conradi in 1948, and she preceded him in 1962. He later married Judith Fulton on April 3, 1965.

Beside his wife he is survived by a son, Scott Gruber and wife Mary Jo of Troy, and a daughter, Penny Lee and husband John of Chatham; seven grandchildren, Joseph, Aaron, Trey, and Presley Gruber and Tyler, Thomas, and Kayla Lee; one sister, Shirley Gaffka of Calumet, Mich.

He was preceded in death by one sister, Eileen Landrindt; and three half-brothers, Louis, Bobby, and George Gruber.

Of LeRoy’s many accomplishments, he is most proud of participating in the Berlin Air Lift as a navigator, helping East St. Louis to establish a junior college and his 50 years as a Lions Club member. And above all, he was extremely devoted to his wife, children and grandchildren.

Visitation will be from 4 to 8 p.m. Wednesday, Feb. 3 at Meridian Village Chapel 27 Auerbach Lane in Glen Carbon. There will be a Lions walk through at 7:30 p.m Wednesday.

Services will be at 11 a.m. Thursday, Feb. 4 at Meridian Village Chapel with Father Albert Allen officiating. Interment will follow at Jefferson Barracks National Cemetery.

Memorials may be given to the Lions of Illinois Foundation. Condolences may be expressed online at weberfuneralhome.com.

This story was originally published February 1, 2016 at 10:19 AM with the headline "Obituary: LeRoy Gruber."