Leeder
October 11, 1935 – April 27, 2023
Arlen Gus Leeder, age 87 peacefully passed away on April 27, 2023, in San Antonio, Texas. He was born on October 11, 1935, at the family home in Lane Valley, Comfort to Gus and Ida Mae Pressler Leeder.
A funeral service will be held at Schaetter Funeral Home, 554 Roosevelt Ave, Comfort on Thursday, May 11, 2023, at 11:00am. Visitation will be held at the funeral home on Wednesday, May 10, 2023, from 4:00-6:00pm Interment will follow at the Comfort Cemetery. A reception will immediately follow at the Immanuel Lutheran Church, 316 High Street, Comfort, Texas.
Arlen grew up on the family farm in Lane Valley and attended the Union Valley School. This was a one room school, with 7 grades. He then attended 8th grade in Comfort. In 1952, he transferred to Center Point and graduated high school. After high school Arlen attended The University of Texas at Austin where he received a Bachelor of Arts degree. He then started teaching and coaching in Liberty Hill. The last 24 years of his teaching career was in Llano. During those years he coached girls’ sports, taught history and sponsored UIL spelling. After leaving coaching, Arlen was committed to assisting Jr High football programs in being successful. He filmed the Jr High boy’s football games that were then used by the coaches for training and were also shown Saturday morning on the local cable station. Arlen loved sports and was never far away. He ran the clock at the Jr High basketball games and assisted at the track meets. During the school year he taught 7th grade Texas History and 8th grade American History. Every spring he took the students to Austin and San Antonio on field trips to see the Capitol of Texas and the Alamo. Most weekends he could be found watching the Texas Longhorns, Dallas Cowboys and the Texas Oilers/Texans. Arlen enjoyed fishing and hunting. Many great memories were made hunting, trot lining and fishing with his children.
During his time in Llano, Arlen volunteered for the Llano County 4-H Club as the secretary treasurer. This allowed him to work with the youth of the community who showed animals at the local stock show. Arlen worked many hours making sure the sale was funded, and the youth received checks quickly. Arlen was an active member of Grace Episcopal Church where he was a member of the vestry, jr warden, sr warden and usher. During this time, he also assisted with the live nativity scene. While keeping busy in Llano, Arlen also helped his parents run the family farm on Lane Valley Road, which had been in the family since 1882. In 1984, Arlen became a member of the Llano Masonic Lodge, where before retiring he was an active member and attained the office of president. He also started the first Hermann Son’s lodge in Llano County.
After retiring Arlen moved back to Comfort. Where he continued to farm the family farm. Arlen loved farming and being outside. For many years he did custom hay work as well as farming and ranching. After retiring from teaching, he opened Comfort Deer Processing which he ran for 17 years. The competitive spirit was always with Arlen as he enjoyed playing Schott, an old German card game. During this time he enjoyed gathering players on Tuesdays in New Braunfels for spirited play. Arlen always enjoyed playing dominoes and was the National 42 Champion in 2011. When gathering with his children, they enjoyed playing pinochle, dominoes and the card game 66. After teaching, Arlen could be found gathering to play cards and dominoes each week.
Arlen was married to Jeannette Weatherford. They had two sons, Alan Gregory and Mark Anthony. He then married Carole Mulholland for 28 years. They had two daughters, Carlen Anne Leeder Tracy and Jennie Lou Leeder. Arlen is preceded in death by his parents, Gus Edward Leeder, Jr and Ida Mae Pressler, his brother, Roy Leeder, sister Florence Leeder Terry and grandson Kristopher Lynn Leeder. He is survived by his children Alan Gregory Leeder of San Antonio, Texas, Mark Anthony Leeder and his spouse Olga of New Braunfels, Texas, Carlen Anne Tracy and her spouse Philip of Lithia, Florida, Jennie Lou Leeder of Austin, Texas; 9 grandchildren and 19 great-grandchildren; siblings brother Lester Leeder and spouse Laurie, of Center Point, Texas; and numerous nieces, nephews, great-nieces, and great-nephews.
Pallbearers will be grandchildren and nephews: Cynthia Chartak of Riverview, Florida, Raven Leeder Locke, of New Braunfels, Chelsea Leeder Willson of Betram, Taylor Leeder of San Antonio, Cory Leeder of Nacogdoches, Collin Carney of Marcelluis, Michigan, Matthew Bond of Erie, Pennsylvania, and Miquel Pagan of Center Point. Honorary pallbearer Hunter Locke. The service will be held by Reverend Anne Fraiser, of St Mark’s Episcopal Church and the Rt. Reverend David Reed.
Expressions of sympathy may be sent at www. schaetter.com Funeral arrangements under the direction of the Schaetter Funeral Home
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