Leo Kaye

Leo Kaye passed away Feb. 25, 2014. He was the last living brother of 12 children.

Leo is survived by his lifetime bride Francis Kaye, five children, eight grandchildren and three great-grandchildren.

Leo was born March 13, 1919, in Mattituck, N.Y., to John and Dorothy Kujawski. He graduated from high school in 1937. After graduating with a Bachelor of Science degree from Ithaca College, he took a teaching position, but his teaching activities didn’t last long as the U.S. Navy came calling a few months later, and Leo enlisted in 1942 as a chief petty officer.

After enlisting, he was assigned to the Naval Training Base at Farragut, Idaho, then was later sent to Officer Training School at Oregon State College. After his honorable discharge from the Navy in 1945, Leo earned his BS in Education at Ithaca College, his Ed.M. at Oregon State and his Ed.D. at Columbia University.

In 1948, Leo married Frances Depta. They have been married 68 years and together they raised five children: Denise Beste married to Richard Beste, David Kaye married to Barbara Kaye, Lorraine Simpson widow of Douglas Simpson, Christopher Kaye married to Helen Kaye, and Francis Jacobson married to Christopher Jacobson.

After marriage, Leo went to work for the Tuberculosis Association (now known as the American Lung Association) and traveled extensively for his work. His travels brought Leo and his family to Alaska in 1970, where he educated throughout the state and lent aid to native Alaskans in the campaign to wipe out tuberculosis.

Leo retired in 1983 and kept himself busy by supporting the Republican Party and working with the veterans association. He was well known for having a bi-partisan approach. Leo organized the Knik-Fairview Community Council and in 1987 was appointed to the Mat-Su Borough Senior Citizens Advisory Board. In 1988, Leo earned appointments to the Mat-Su Borough Health Planning Committee and the Governor’s Housing Policy Committee. He held leadership positions for the senior advisory board, where he worked as an advocate for Alaska’s senior issues and rights. In 1995, Leo was asked by Gov. Frank Murkowski to fly to Washington, D.C., and represent Alaska at the White House’s conference on the aging.

With John Morrissey, Leo made application with the USGS to recognize a peak in Alaska as a monument for all American soldiers that have been prisoners of war or missing in action during America’s past conflicts. The two veterans’ mission was completed on Veterans Day 1999 with the official naming of the mountain as Mount POW/MIA.

In 1986, Wasilla was selected as a Bicentennial Community by the U.S. Congress to help celebrate the 200th anniversary of the Constitution. In 1987, mayor Harold Newcomb appointed the Constitutional Forum, a citizens’ group, to plan events for Wasilla as part of the celebration. The borough and the state set aside money for a veterans’ monument to be erected, and on Nov. 11, 1992, it was dedicated. Leo and a group of volunteers that belonged to VFW Post 9365 received approval from the Wasilla Community Service Council to design, finance and erect the Veterans’ Wall of Honor. Seven months later, on Veterans’ Day 1992, the Veterans’ Wall of Honor was dedicated.

After the Veterans’ Wall of Honor was dedicated, Leo set in motion the gathering of the money to finance and design a memorial to honor all of the dogs that served in U.S. conflict and were responsible for saving thousands of lives. Unfortunately, he was unable to complete this last project due to health restraints.

A fellow veteran was once quoted in the local paper, the Frontiersman, as saying, “He’s a veteran’s veteran.”

Although Leo was very active in his community and was involved in very public projects, his real love was fishing. He was happiest when standing in a river or sitting by a lake, holding a pole and wetting a line in hopes of catching “the big one.”

Leo will be remembered as a selfless man who gave from his heart with no expectations of self-reward.

A Mass of Christian Burial is at 11 a.m., Feb. 28 at Alaskan Heritage Memorial Chapel and Crematory, 1015 S. Check St. in Wasilla. Private inurnment will be later in the spring with full military honors.