Leonard
Leonard Herman Childers, Jr.
Leonard Childers, Jr., 93, died on April 16, 2011 at the Virginia Hospital Center in Arlington, VA after a protracted illness. He was born August 22, 1918 in Chester, PA to the late Leonard Herman Childers and Ethel Marsh Childers. He grew up in Lynchburg, VA and attended Lynchburg schools.
He is survived by a daughter and son-in-law, Marilen and John King of Potomac Falls, VA, a sister, Cathryn (Kitty) Godsey of Appomattox, VA, two brothers, Jerald J. and Paul S. Childers, both of Lynchburg. In addition to his parents, he was preceded in death by his wife of 53 years, Marilou Lemon Childers and a brother, Thomas Childers.
Prior to WWII, Leonard was employed by Lynchburg Foundry Co. He was a fighter pilot during WWII, assigned to one of the U.S. Army Air Corp. fighter groups that participated in the D-Day invasion of France and spearheaded General Patton\"™s thrust across France. He was shot down on August 13, 1944 (on his 41st mission), captured and held as a prisoner of war until liberated by Russian forces in May, 1945.
He attended Lynchburg College then graduated from Virginia Tech with degrees in mechanical and industrial engineering. He earned a MBA degree in management from Florida State University in 1973. He also attended graduate courses at UCLA and Florida Institute of Technology.
Following Graduation, he was employed by Hercules Power Co. at the Radford Arsenal, Radford, VA as a Field Engineer on the Nike and Honest John Missile Propellant programs. Later, he was employed by North American Aviation in Los Angeles, CA as a Power Plant Test Engineer on the F-100 series fighter plane. In 1958, he was employed by Chrysler Corp. as an engineer on the Redstone Missile program. He later transferred to Chrysler\"™s Space Division at Cape Canaveral, FL where he filled various engineering positions on the Apollo, Skylab and Apollo-Soyuz teams. At the conclusion of the Space Program, he was employed by Tennessee Valley Authority in Chattanooga, TN as a Nuclear Power Plant Construction Engineer.
He was a member of Court Street United Methodist Church in Lynchburg. For several years, he served as an AARP volunteer tax advisor to senior citizens. As a member of the Kiwanis Club, he participated in the construction of several \"Habitat For Humanity\" residences. He served in several lay positions within the local church organizations. He was a member of Pi Tau Sigma engineering fraternity and was a life member of the Air Force Association, the Thunderbolt Pilot\"™s Association and the DAV. He was also a member of the 36th Fighter Group Association, the 9th Air Force Association, The Military Order of the World Wars and The American Ex-Prisoner of War.
The family will receive friends from 11:00 am until 1:00 pm Thursday April 19, 2012 at Tharp Funeral Home, Lynchburg. A funeral service will follow at 1:00 pm in the chapel of Tharp Funeral Home with the Rev. C. Douglas Pillow officiating. Interment will follow at Arlington National Cemetery with full military honors at a later date.
Tharp Funeral Home and Crematory, Lynchburg is assisting the family, 434-237-9424.
He is survived by a daughter and son-in-law, Marilen and John King of Potomac Falls, VA, a sister, Cathryn (Kitty) Godsey of Appomattox, VA, two brothers, Jerald J. and Paul S. Childers, both of Lynchburg. In addition to his parents, he was preceded in death by his wife of 53 years, Marilou Lemon Childers and a brother, Thomas Childers.
Prior to WWII, Leonard was employed by Lynchburg Foundry Co. He was a fighter pilot during WWII, assigned to one of the U.S. Army Air Corp. fighter groups that participated in the D-Day invasion of France and spearheaded General Patton\"™s thrust across France. He was shot down on August 13, 1944 (on his 41st mission), captured and held as a prisoner of war until liberated by Russian forces in May, 1945.
He attended Lynchburg College then graduated from Virginia Tech with degrees in mechanical and industrial engineering. He earned a MBA degree in management from Florida State University in 1973. He also attended graduate courses at UCLA and Florida Institute of Technology.
Following Graduation, he was employed by Hercules Power Co. at the Radford Arsenal, Radford, VA as a Field Engineer on the Nike and Honest John Missile Propellant programs. Later, he was employed by North American Aviation in Los Angeles, CA as a Power Plant Test Engineer on the F-100 series fighter plane. In 1958, he was employed by Chrysler Corp. as an engineer on the Redstone Missile program. He later transferred to Chrysler\"™s Space Division at Cape Canaveral, FL where he filled various engineering positions on the Apollo, Skylab and Apollo-Soyuz teams. At the conclusion of the Space Program, he was employed by Tennessee Valley Authority in Chattanooga, TN as a Nuclear Power Plant Construction Engineer.
He was a member of Court Street United Methodist Church in Lynchburg. For several years, he served as an AARP volunteer tax advisor to senior citizens. As a member of the Kiwanis Club, he participated in the construction of several \"Habitat For Humanity\" residences. He served in several lay positions within the local church organizations. He was a member of Pi Tau Sigma engineering fraternity and was a life member of the Air Force Association, the Thunderbolt Pilot\"™s Association and the DAV. He was also a member of the 36th Fighter Group Association, the 9th Air Force Association, The Military Order of the World Wars and The American Ex-Prisoner of War.
The family will receive friends from 11:00 am until 1:00 pm Thursday April 19, 2012 at Tharp Funeral Home, Lynchburg. A funeral service will follow at 1:00 pm in the chapel of Tharp Funeral Home with the Rev. C. Douglas Pillow officiating. Interment will follow at Arlington National Cemetery with full military honors at a later date.
Tharp Funeral Home and Crematory, Lynchburg is assisting the family, 434-237-9424.
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