Leo O. Messinger Jr., 86, Culdesac

Leo Oscar (John) Messinger Jr. of Culdesac died Sunday, April 4, 2010, at Juniper Meadows in Lewiston. He was 86.

John was born Feb. 18, 1924, at Clarkston to Leo Oscar Messinger Sr. and Edith Waterer Messinger. John attended and graduated from Culdesac High School in 1942. He resided in the Culdesac-Cottonwood Creek area from 1942 until 2006. He retired from farming in 1992.

John joined the U.S. Army 82nd Airborne at Fort Lewis, Wash., and he was a paratrooper from 1944 to 1946.

He married Jean Ann Atkinson June 4, 1950. They were married 54 years until her death July 12, 2004.

He was a founding member of the Culdesac Gun Club and as a trapshooter, he won numerous trophies including the 1995 Veterans Shooter Award. John was also involved in the American Agriculture Farm Movement in the early 1980s and worked to support parity for wheat payment. In the 1960s, he served on the Culdesac School Board. John was also awarded the Farmer of the Year Award in 1995 and the Citizen of the Year Award at Culdesac.

John and Jean loved to travel. Their travels took them to many places including Alaska, Texas, Pennsylvania, Hawaii and many other states in between. They traveled to Arizona to spend winters for many years. They also loved to have friends and family come to their home. There was always a pot of coffee on and chocolate chip cookies on the table.

John loved his "kids." He could be found at all of their activities as their biggest fan. Baseball, especially, was something that he loved to play when he was younger and watched as he grew older. Hunting and fishing were his other loves. He was host of many hunting parties on his farm. John loved to teach young folks to trapshoot. He was a mentor to many.

John is survived by his daughter, Nancy Jo Ridgley and husband Jerry of Ketchikan, Alaska; son Jacob K. Messinger and wife Rosey of Lewiston; grandsons, Jacob Clay Messinger of Lewiston and Brett Summers of Ketchikan; granddaughters, Molly Wentworth of Lewiston, Heidi Fluegel of Uniontown and Kristi Summers of Ketchikan; step-granddaughters, Melissa Shull and Nicole Stump, both of Ketchikan; great-grandsons, Jonathan and Sean Tavares of Ketchikan, Nate and Eric Fluegel of Uniontown, and Jacob Wentworth of Lewiston; great-granddaughter Maisy Messinger of Lewiston; stepgreat-grandchildren, Valerie and Molly Stump, Catherine, Elizabeth and Victoria Shull, all of Ketchikan, and Audrey and Jaden Shulke, both of Lewiston; sisters-in-law Phyllis Atkinson Weller of Lewiston, Betty Coddington Atkinson of Kennewick; sister Darlene McKenzie of Moscow; and numerous nieces, nephews, cousins and friends who were close to John.

A visitation period has been scheduled from 4 to 7 p.m. Friday at Malcom's Brower-Wann Funeral Home in Lewiston. Funeral services will be conducted at 2 p.m. Saturday the funeral home with the Rev. Jack Pea officiating.

Memorial donations can be made to Cottonwood Creek Community Church, 20706 Gifford Reubens Road, Culdesac, ID 83524.