Leonard Healey

Leonard Lewis Healey has filed his last flight plan to explore the Great Beyond. Len was born on March 12, 1923 in Otsego, Michigan, the middle son in a family of three children. He graduated from high school in Otsego where he participated in baseball, football, track and was president of his senior class. Leonard then attended one year of school at Ferris State College in Big Rapids, Michigan and the following year, transferred to Tri-State College in Indiana, where he studied engineering. In 1943, Len was called into military service for the United States Army. He was assigned to Company H of the 36th Combat Engineer Regiment. During WWII, his division traveled to North Africa and Europe. His primary duty was engineering and building bridges for the advancing Allied forces. After being honorably discharged from the Army in 1946, Len went to work for his father at the Healey Healey lumberyard along with his brother Bob. On June 26, 1949 Len married Rosemary Alaria of Grand Rapids at Gun Lake in Michigan. Rosemary was a Physical Education teacher at Otsego High School. They had two children, Roger and Rebecca (Becky). Len provided for his family by developing a subdivision and building homes, #8220;one at a time.#8221; Len was a 33rd degree Mason and served on the school board. After the kids grew up, inspired by his love of flying, Len and Rosemary explored the world. They went on trips around the USA, Europe, Australia and New Zealand. Hobbies included flying airplanes, camping, canoeing and golfing. Len learned how to fly in 1946 and it was one of his greatest passions. Len also traveled with a group to Africa when he was 73 and took a memorable flight in an ultra-light plane over Victoria Falls. Roger and Becky both moved to Montana in the 1970s. Rosemary and Len visited every summer after that. In 1975, Becky married a Michigan native, Carl Sheehan. The first grandchild, Colleen, was born in 1980. Len and Rosemary had purchased land near Bozeman a few years earlier. Len built a house on the property and in 1982, they became official residents of Montana. Grandchild Trevor was born that year and Emily came along in 1988. Unfortunately, Len and Rosemary#8217;s son Roger had been disabled by a brain injury in 1980. They dedicated themselves as his primary caregivers. Roger lived with them until 2004 when he moved into Liberty Place, Inc. in Whitehall. They were active in the Montana Brain Injury Association and helped organize the Bozeman Brain Injury Support Group. Leonard was also active in Rotary Club as a lifetime member since 1950, joining the Bozeman Noon Rotary Club in 1982. Len was awarded Rotarian of the Year in 2003 and an Honorary Lifetime Membership in 2009. In 2005, Len was diagnosed with dementia. He succumbed to the effects of Alzheimer#8217;s disease on December 8, 2010, at the age of 87. He will be remembered as a smart, hard-working husband, father, and grandfather, who offered thoughtful and gently spoken wisdom when asked for advice on life. He is survived by his wife of 61 years, Rosemary; daughter, Becky (Carl) Sheehan; son, Roger Healey; and three grandchildren, Colleen (Ken) Morris, Trevor Sheehan, Emily Sheehan, sister Jean (Grant) Babcock and many nieces and nephews. Many thanks to the staffs of Cottonwood Case Management, Edgewood Vista and Rocky Mountain Hospice for their loving care. Memorials in Len#8217;s name may be made to Liberty Place, Inc., 1173 HWY 55, Whitehall, MT 59759 or to the Montana Brain Injury Association, 1280 S 3rd St W #4, Missoula, MT 59801-2392. A Celebration of Len#8217;s life will be held at Dahl Funeral Home at 2PM Tuesday, December 14th.