Leon, as he preferred to be called, was born on 19 Dec 1940 in Weatherford, TX, to George Thomas Kreger, Jr, and Elsie Mae Pope Kreger. He grew up on a farm in Weinert, Haskell Co., TX. Weinert was a town of about 500, with many people of German heritage, as was Leon. He moved to Abilene, TX after graduating from Weinert High School, to attend college.
Before the beginning of the fall college semester, Leon decided to work a year or so before entering college. During that period, he met and married an Abilene native, Patsy, in 1960 in Abilene. In June 1961, the couple was blessed with a little girl.
However, two weeks later, tragedy struck. On July 9, 1961, Leon and a friend, Richard went water skiing at the lake house of Leon's wife's first cousin on Fort Phantom Lake. After Leon had skied for about an hour, they came back into the lake house dock to get more gasoline for the ski boat. While Richard was adding fuel, Leon remarked that he was hot, removed his life jacket and dived off the boat dock. Richard then noticed that Leon never surfaced after the dive and Richard began to dive and search for him. After about 30 minutes, rescue divers located Leon under water but, the rescue team was unable to resuscitate him.
Before the beginning of the fall college semester, Leon decided to work a year or so before entering college. During that period, he met and married an Abilene native, Patsy, in 1960 in Abilene. In June 1961, the couple was blessed with a little girl.
However, two weeks later, tragedy struck. On July 9, 1961, Leon and a friend, Richard went water skiing at the lake house of Leon's wife's first cousin on Fort Phantom Lake. After Leon had skied for about an hour, they came back into the lake house dock to get more gasoline for the ski boat. While Richard was adding fuel, Leon remarked that he was hot, removed his life jacket and dived off the boat dock. Richard then noticed that Leon never surfaced after the dive and Richard began to dive and search for him. After about 30 minutes, rescue divers located Leon under water but, the rescue team was unable to resuscitate him.
Leon, as he preferred to be called, was born on 19 Dec 1940 in Weatherford, TX, to George Thomas Kreger, Jr, and Elsie Mae Pope Kreger. He grew up on a farm in Weinert, Haskell Co., TX. Weinert was a town of about 500, with many people of German heritage, as was Leon. He moved to Abilene, TX after graduating from Weinert High School, to attend college.
Before the beginning of the fall college semester, Leon decided to work a year or so before entering college. During that period, he met and married an Abilene native, Patsy, in 1960 in Abilene. In June 1961, the couple was blessed with a little girl.
However, two weeks later, tragedy struck. On July 9, 1961, Leon and a friend, Richard went water skiing at the lake house of Leon's wife's first cousin on Fort Phantom Lake. After Leon had skied for about an hour, they came back into the lake house dock to get more gasoline for the ski boat. While Richard was adding fuel, Leon remarked that he was hot, removed his life jacket and dived off the boat dock. Richard then noticed that Leon never surfaced after the dive and Richard began to dive and search for him. After about 30 minutes, rescue divers located Leon under water but, the rescue team was unable to resuscitate him.
Before the beginning of the fall college semester, Leon decided to work a year or so before entering college. During that period, he met and married an Abilene native, Patsy, in 1960 in Abilene. In June 1961, the couple was blessed with a little girl.
However, two weeks later, tragedy struck. On July 9, 1961, Leon and a friend, Richard went water skiing at the lake house of Leon's wife's first cousin on Fort Phantom Lake. After Leon had skied for about an hour, they came back into the lake house dock to get more gasoline for the ski boat. While Richard was adding fuel, Leon remarked that he was hot, removed his life jacket and dived off the boat dock. Richard then noticed that Leon never surfaced after the dive and Richard began to dive and search for him. After about 30 minutes, rescue divers located Leon under water but, the rescue team was unable to resuscitate him.
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