Louise Leinweber

Louise Adelaide Pooley Leinweber, 87, passed from this life at her home in the Riverhill section of Kerrville, Texas on September 14, 2014. Lou, a native of Jamestown, NY, was born on March 27, 1927, to William Lincoln Frederick and Adelaide Louise Shearman Pooley. She was raised in nearby Buffalo along with her younger sister Mary Ann.\r\n\r\nWhen she was only 15 years old, her father, a World War I veteran infantry officer, was called to active duty in World War II. However, because of his age, he was posted as a senior officer to Shepard Army Air Field in Wichita Falls, Texas allowing his family to join him. Lou thought that her life was over. She had been wrenched from the lush green and cool summers of upstate New York and dumped at a "desolate, miserable Texas outpost".\r\n\r\nHowever, only a few months after her graduation from Wichita Falls High School in May of 1945, she met a 25 year old, cocky, charismatic and "extremely handsome" P-38 fighter pilot who had just returned from the European Theater with three combat Air Medals and a Distinguished Flying Cross on his chest. They met at the swimming pool on base (the only swimming pool within 150 miles). For the entire 68 years of their married life, she would always say, "we were both smitten!" Although she had just been offered a job as a model for Nieman Marcus in Dallas, she and her mother returned to Buffalo only four months later to prepare for her wedding to Gerald Fisher Leinweber in Buffalo, NY on October 27, 1945. After Jerry's discharge from the service and the birth of their first child, Candice Lynn, they left Wichita Falls and established their residence with Jerry's parents in his home town of Houston, Texas.\r\n\r\nDuring the Korean War, Lou and Jerry did stateside duty in San Raphael, California outside San Francisco. Returning to Houston in 1953, following Jerry's final discharge from the service, Lou set up her always impeccably organized and decorated home in the Briar Grove section of Houston. It was here that the family continued to grow with the addition of sons, Eric Lincoln and Stephen Winslow. By now she was no longer a young "Yankee" bride but was completing her transformation into an authentic, dyed-in-the-wool TEXAN. She even acquired a nearly-genuine Texas accent and an enthusiastic Yee-Haw when she felt like it. Joining their friends at Pine Forest Country Club, Jerry eventually turned Lou into an avid golfer which she remained even after her playing days were behind her. The family's activities and interests were wide and varied. Lou did much of the work that goes along with raising Weimaraners, Vizslas, rabbits, chicks, box turtles and various other creatures that shared their home. She managed the preparation and staging for the various plays, sporting activities, hunting and fishing and scouting activities of the children. Lou and Jerry were active members of St. Martin's Episcopal Church in Houston where they both taught Sunday School classes. Lou was a key altar guild member during the time the church was led by the Reverend Tom Bagby. Those were productive and exciting years and were the basis for some of her most enduring memories.\r\n\r\nA few years later, Jerry's work took him to the New York offices at Rockefeller Center and she began the process of building a new life in the New York metropolitan suburb of Darien, Connecticut. She had just begun the work of refurbishing and redecorating their home when Jerry was transferred to the west coast. Lou proceeded to launch their new life in Southern California with characteristic enthusiasm and excellent eye for style in Seal Beach. Her sophisticated taste and perfectionist temperament made their home at the Old Ranch Golf Club a center of social activities for their golfing friends and business associates. She loved it.\r\n\r\nWhen retirement came, however, there was never any doubt that the Leinwebers would return to Texas and they decided to plant themselves in the Hill Country where Jerry's\r\ngreat-great-grandfather had settled. Together they planned, built and decorated their home in Riverhill and are counted among the earliest of the members at Riverhill Country Club. Both Lou and Jerry relished the available golfing and social activities, but their interests were much wider and included becoming docents at the Cowboy Artists of America Museum in Riverhill and for many years they were stalwarts in supporting it. They were members at St. Peter's Episcopal Church where Lou played a supporting role in its women's activities and thrift shop.\r\n\r\nLouise is preceded in death by her husband Jerry, and her father and mother. She is survived by: her sister, Mary Ann Pierce of Coeur d'Alene, Idaho, and her children, Candice Lynn Stewart of Scottsdale, Arizona, Eric Lincoln Leinweber of Laguna Vista, Texas, and Stephen Winslow Leinweber of Austin, Texas. She leaves four grandchildren, LCDR (select) Erin Eickhoff of San Diego, Sherra Noelle Stewart of Tucson, Arizona, Erica Dawn Leinweber of Austin, John Daniel Leinweber of San Marcos and three great-grandchildren, Nicholas Tyler Eickhoff, Natalie Ryann Eickhoff and Noah Michael Eickhoff, all of San Diego.\r\n\r\nThe family wishes to express its heartfelt thanks to the wonderful caregivers who have made it possible for Louise to remain in her home for the past three years, especially Caring Senior Services' Alyssa, Gladys, Carolyn, Carrie, and Monica. Thank you to Dr. Young, Pat and Sharon who cared for her diligently for almost 30 years and to Peterson Hospice's Harley, Christy, Sonia, Laura, Lisa and Julie for their warmth and understanding.\r\n\r\nMemorial services will be held Saturday, October 11, 2014, 10:30 AM at St. Peter's Episcopal Church. Donations in lieu of flowers to Peterson Hospice of Kerrville, Wounded Warrior Project, or Kerrville Veterans Administration Regional Center.\r\n\r\n[contact-form-7 id="73" title="Send Condolences"]