Brother Robert Leno, founding father of Xi Chapter, will be missed by all. He was an inspration to genarations of Kappa Delta Phi men.
Rev. Robert “Bob’ Leno, 75, died Sunday, November 29th at Berlin Health & ReHab Center. He was born July 23, 1934 at the former Heaton Hospital the tenth child of Lena M. (Cady) and Perley Leno Sr.
Bob received his early education in the Montpelier Public Schools System. He graduated from Montpelier High School in 1954. Following high school that year, he joined the United States Navy, serving on the East Coast and two years in Guantanamo Bay, Cuba from 1955-57. While serving with the Navy he sang with the All Navy Choir on the Ed Sullivan Show.
After his discharge in 1958, he attended Lyndon State College earning a teaching degree. He taught schools in North Hero and many years in Williamstown, VT. He retired in 1986. After his retirement from teaching, he became a United Methodist Church Minister. He graduated in 1993 from Wesley United Methodist Theological Seminary in Washington, D.C. He served as pastor in West Topsham, Waits River, Riverton, and West Burke United Methodist Churches and he retired in 2002 from his last assignment at Denton Community United Methodist Church, Denton, Montana a part of the Yellowstone United Methodist Conference.
Bob was a charter member of Kappa Delta Phi fraternity at Lyndon State College. He was a member of Capital City Grange in Berlin where he was past master, a member of Winooski Valley Pamona Grange, Vermont State Grange and the National Grange of Washington, D.C. Bob was a life member of the Montpelier Elks Lodge # 924 and American Legion Post # 3 of Montpelier and Vermont American Legion. He participated a number of years with the Green Mountain Boys State Program. He was a member of the West Burke United Methodist Church and Trinity United Methodist Church, and a member of the Dalton Gang, a western gun club of Dalton, NH.
Bob was never married. He leaves one sister, Janice L. Bragdon of Easthampton, MA; two brothers, Bernard C. Leno and his wife, Jeannie of Montpelier; Morris E. Leno and his wife, Marilyn of Schenectady, NY and several nieces and nephews.
He was predeceased by eight siblings, two sisters and a brother at birth; 5 brothers, Philip P. Leno, Harold C. Leno, Howard S. Leno, Perley Leno, Jr., and Richard E. Leno.
A Memorial service will be held at Trinity United Methodist Church, 137 Main Street, Montpelier on Tuesday, December 8th, at 10:00 am. There will be a reception following the service at the church. Burial with be at North Branch Cemetery, Middlesex, VT.
Memorial contributions may be made to Central Vermont Home Health & Hospice, Inc., 600 Granger Road, Barre, VT 05641 or at www.cvhhh.org
