Leo Joseph Soukup

1923 - 2013  (89 years)

• Name	Leo Joseph Soukup  [1, 2]
  Birth	9 Nov 1923	Liberty Township, Fillmore County, Nebraska   [2, 3]
  Gender	Male
  Death	6 Mar 2013	Exeter, Fillmore County, Nebraska
  Notes	Obituary From the Lincoln Journal Star, March 8, 2013 (Courtesy of Dennis Belohlavy) Leo J. Soukup, age 89, of Exeter, died Wednesday, March 6, 2013 in Exeter. Born Oct. 9, 1923 to Joseph & Mary (Macku) Soukup Survivors: sons, Kenneth & wife Lisa of Exeter, Richard & wife Denise of Valparaiso; five grandchildren; two great grandchildren. Funeral services: 2 p.m. Saturday Farmer Funeral Home, Exeter. Kim Dunker officiating. Military graveside services: Exeter Cemetery. Visitation beginning Friday, from 1-6 p.m. with the family greeting friends from 4-6 p.m. at Farmer Funeral Home, Exeter. Memorials to Milligan & Exeter Legions and Geneva V.F.W., in lieu of flowers. Condolences may be left at http://www.farmerandsonfuneralhome.com Expanded version from Farmer and Sons Funeral Home (Also courtesy of Dennis Belohlavy) Leo Joseph Soukup was born to Joseph J. Soukup and Mary (Macku) Soukup on 11.9.1923, Exeter, NE. He passed away 3.6.2013 at Exeter Care Center, at the age of 89 years. He was the youngest of 4 children and grew up on a farm south of Exeter. Leo attended School District 25 and District 33. He graduated from Exeter High School in 1941. Upon graduation, Leo wanted to attend Lincoln School of Commerce but his folks didn't have the money so he learned he could go to Bellevue NYA School, a government school. Stub Moor and Roy Hall, his buddies, weren't interested but two weeks later, here came Roy and Ray Hall and Stub. He received his room and board plus $10.80 a month and his training as a machinist helper. He planned to go to Seattle but Martin Bomber Plant needed machinists so they went, where they met Heidtbrink who soon became a lifelong friend. He became a milling machine operator that produced the B26 Bomber. His starting wage was 50? an hour. Living in a boarding house with Stub and Heidtbrink his meals included a hamburger steak for 98? at Nash Caf?. Leo bought a new rifle and was so proud of it. He went around Omaha and shot grasshoppers. Heidtbrink sent him a letter that the military needed rifles and would return it after the war. So Leo took the gun apart and put his name on it, put it back together and was ready to give it to the military when it turned out that it was all a joke. After about a year he decided to enlist in the Army Air Corp. He was sworn in the Air Corp 12.9.1942 at Fort Crook, NE, went to Leavenworth Kansas for military clothes and then to St. Petersburg , Florida for training. His trained in Lincoln for Air Craft mechanics, Chaunte Field, Illinois for engine specialist, Lowry Field, Denver Colorado to take machine guns apart and to fuse bombs. He was stationed in Saline Kansas at Smokey Hill Base, then overseas on USS Mt Vernon ship to Bombay, India. Leo took a train to Karagpur and Calcutta, India. He went to China on an assignment, was in India about a year, then flew to Tinanin, Guam and Saipan and flew over enemy territory. He was in Tinanin when the Atomic bomb was dropped. He served almost 3 years and was discharged in Lincoln on 10.24.1945 with the rank of Staff Sargent. He received a Good Conduct Metal, Presidential Unit Citation and Asiatic Pacific Ribbon with 6 battle stars. Returning home, he helped his father farm while the fall and winters he worked for Jerry Betka dragging roads, Joe Matejka-carpenter helper, Dick Williford-mechanic and parts man, Daniels and Bush in Milligan picking up cream, eggs and poultry in the country and surrounding towns and for Babe Duba-cut up car bodies. Leo met his wife of 44 years at a dance in Burress NE. The courtship lasted 1? years and they married 2.9.1951. They made their home on a farm 2? miles north of Milligan. To this union two boys were born, Kenneth and Richard. Leo and Ella Mae loved to travel and did so with their sons. They attended many of Leo's China, Berma, India and Air Force reunions. Leo retired in 1988 from farming and spent many winters in south Texas "The Valley". After retiring he worked for Albert Kaiser and Roy Hall. Leo received his 50 year pin for the ZCBJ Lodge and a 50+ member of Post #240 America Legion of Milligan, permanent member of the Veterans of Foreign Wars Post 7102 of Geneva, a permanent member of the Nations and State CBI Veterans Organization, Member of the 20th Air Force and of the 58th Bomb Wing Veterans Association. After Ella Mae passed away Leo spent his time fishing with his grandsons, Cody and Kirby and attending their ballgames and events when he was not in wintering in southern Texas. Leo loved to dance and he met the two loves of his life on the dance floor, Ella Mae Svec Soukup and Verona Wallace. His nephew, Ernie Luksik, held a special place in his heart as he became his driver to Texas and took care of him this winter while in "The Valley". Leo was preceded in death by his parents; wife Ella Mae, sisters Viola Luksik and 2 infant sisters; 4 brother-in-laws; 4 sister-in-laws and Grandson Drew Soukup. He is survived by son & wife Ken & Lisa Soukup of Exeter, son & wife Richard & Denise Soukup of Valparaiso, NE, grandsons Cody & Kirby of Exeter, step-granddaughter & husband Sarah and TJ McGee of Urbandale, IA, step-grandson & wife Shane and Stacey Murray of Gulf Port, MS and step-grandson Lee Murray of Valparaiso, NE; step-great grandchildren Connor Murray and Anna McGee; brother-in-law Alfred Krupicka of Friend, nieces, nephews and a host of other relatives and friends. Funeral services were conducted from the Farmer Funeral Home in Exeter, Nebraska on Saturday, March 9, 2013, with Kim Dunker officiating. Musical selections for the service were, "Make Someone Happy" and "Winter Texan." Casket bearers were Ernie Luksik, Allen Zumpfe, Neal Filipi, David Krupicka, Steve Rhodes and Lee Murray. Military graveside services were provided by the Milligan Ameriacan Legion HSSK Post #240 at the Exeter Cemetery. Memorials are directed to the Milligan or Exeter American Legion or the Geneva VFW. Farmer Funeral Home was in charge of the arrangements.
  Person ID	I10688	Strong Family Tree
  Last Modified	14 Dec 2014

  
  

  Father	Joseph J. Soukup,   b. 15 Jul 1889, Nebraska d. 24 Feb 1983 (Age 93 years)
  Mother	Mary Macku,   b. Abt 1888, Nebraska d. 27 Jan 1960 (Age 72 years)
  Family ID	F878	Group Sheet  |  Family Chart

  
  

  Family	Ella Mae Svec,   b. 23 Nov 1928, Tobias, Saline County, Nebraska d. Oct 1995, Exeter, Fillmore County, Nebraska (Age 66 years)
  Marriage	9 Feb 1951  [3, 4]
  Children	1. Living   2. Living
  Family ID	F4679	Group Sheet  |  Family Chart
  Last Modified	25 May 2019

  
  

• Event Map

  Birth - 9 Nov 1923 - Liberty Township, Fillmore County, Nebraska Death - 6 Mar 2013 - Exeter, Fillmore County, Nebraska  = Link to Google Earth

  
  

• Sources

  [S219] Milligan Centennial History Book Committee HISTORY OF MILLIGAN, NEBRASKA 1888-1988 (Walsworth Publishing, Marceline, MO), 504 (Reliability: 3). [S564] 1930 United States Federal Census [Ancestry.com. database on-line]. Provo, UT, USA: The Generations Network, Inc., 2002., (Original data: United States of America, Bureau of the Census. Fifteenth Census of the United States, 1930. Washington, D.C.: National Archives and Records Administration, 1930. T626, 2,667 rolls. Containing records for approximately 123 million Americans, the 1930 United States Federal Census is the largest census released to date and is the most recent census available for public access. The census gives us a glimpse into the lives of Americans in 1930, and contains information about a household?s family members and occupants including: birthplaces, occupations, immigration, citizenship, and military service. The names of those listed in the census are linked to actual images of the 1930 Census.), Nebraska, Fillmore County, Liberty Twp Enumerated April 14, 1930 ED 30-21 SD 11 Sheet 4B 90-90 (Reliability: 3). [S219] Milligan Centennial History Book Committee HISTORY OF MILLIGAN, NEBRASKA 1888-1988 (Walsworth Publishing, Marceline, MO), 505 (Reliability: 3). [S873] Find A Grave [database online]; http://www.findagrave.com/, (Thousands of contributors submit new listings, updates, corrections, photographs and virtual flowers every hour to the FIND A GRAVE website. When it comes to administrating, building and maintaining the site, Find A Grave is largely operated by its founder, Jim Tipton.), Memorial ID 107467305 (Reliability: 3).