By HDN staff
LESLIE JOE MLINAR
JOPLIN Leslie Joe Mlinar, 75, died Wednesday, June 16, 1999, of natural causes at a Great Falls hospital.
Funeral services were Monday, June 21, at the Bethel Lutheran Church in Joplin. Burial followed at the Joplin Cemetery.
He was born July 30, 1923, on the family homestead in the Bison community 15 miles northwest of Joplin. He was one of six children born to Joseph and Mary (Matey) Mlinar.
He received his education at the Meldrum country school and Joplin High School. He studied airplane mechanics and welding at Helena vo-tech, then learned the skills of reading blue prints at a school in Albany, Ore.
He served in the U.S. Army during World War II. He served from 1943 to 1946 and attained the rank of technical sergeant in the 366th Bombardment Squadron. He served in campaigns at Rhineland and Central Europe. Following his honorable discharge, he returned to Montana to work on the family farm.
He married Laura Etta Ward on March 14, 1950, at Glasgow. They spent their 49 years of married life together on the Mlinar farm near Joplin. They retired from farming in 1985 but continued to live in their farm house.
He was a lifetime member of the Chester VFW. Years ago he served on the Liberty County draft board and the Liberty County election board.
They enjoyed traveling in their motorhome and belonged to several motorhome clubs. They had traveled to most every state and much of Canada.
He enjoyed fishing, boating, bowling, baseball, softball and dancing. He fitted and drilled bowling balls for most of the Hi-Line bowlers. He also taught bowling techniques to the junior bowlers and helped coach little league baseball teams.
Survivors include his wife, Etta of Joplin; a brother, Edward of Joplin; a niece and a nephew.
He was preceded in death by his parents, four sisters, Anna, Doris, Lorraine and Dorothy, a sister-in-law and a brother-in-law.
Arrangements by Rockman Funeral Chapel in Chester.
