Leroy Uhrich, age 86, of Oakley, died Friday, January 11, 2013 at the Logan County Manor in Oakley, Kansas.

Leroy was born on April 15, 1926 to Godfrey and Carrie (Bender) Uhrich on the family farm south of Oakley. He was the 3rd of eight children.

Leroy chose to make Oakley his home. He went to school until the eighth grade, and then helped on the family farm. Later he worked at the elevator and for different farmers, sometimes getting paid, sometimes not; he was always there to help whomever needed it. He stayed with his parents and helped in their elder years. He lived in the basement, and that was where all the nieces and nephews learned the love of music. Real country music— we loved going downstairs listening to music, helping him with his paint by numbers, and watching old home movies. We all called him Uncle Beanie, don't know if he ate a lot of beans, or because he was very skinny, but he was Uncle Beanie to us. We are sure that we kids drove him nuts, but he never complained. After his parents passed, he bought the house across the street. That was when the "porch gathering" began, we don't gather now; but when Leroy lived there, friends and family were on the porch most evenings.

Coffee with the boys everyday at Mitten's Café was another love, him and Merl or Levi rarely missed a day. Clocks were probably his biggest passion. (Uhrich means clock maker.) We never found a clock he couldn't fix. There was one whole room in his home full of clock parts and his work bench. Leroy was known to many as the clock maker or Clock Doc.

When his health started to fail, he moved to the Logan County Manor. Many people are miserable leaving their home but Leroy, who had been living by himself, loved the attention. The girls there loved him. He was very ornery. If he wasn't teasing the staff, they were teasing him. The place will never be the same. Leroy will be dearly missed by many.

Survivors include his sister Catherine and husband Ken Burris of Vista, CA, brother-in-law Frank Salisbury, Oakley, and many nieces and nephews.

Those preceding him in death were his parents, Godfrey and Carrie Uhrich; brothers Cleo, Lloyd, and Kenneth Uhrich, and sisters Isabelle Sills, Wilmetta Fay Uhrich, and Darlene Salisbury.

Leroy Uhrich, age 86, of Oakley, died January 11, 2013 at the Logan County Manor in Oakley. He was born April 15, 1926 on the family farm in Logan County to Godfrey and Carrie (Bender) Uhrich.

He was a farmer, US Army veteran of World War II, and a member of Oakley V.F.W. Post 2981.

He was preceded in death by his parents, Godrey and Carrie; three brothers: Cleo Uhrich, Lloyd Uhrich, and Kenneth Uhrich, and three sisters: Isabelle Sills, Wilmetta Fay Uhrich, and Darlene Salisbury.

Survivors include a sister, Catherine Burris of Vista, CA and many nieces and nephews.

Memorial service 10:00 a.m. Tuesday, January 15, 2013 at Kennedy-Koster Funeral Home, Oakley with inurnment in the Oakley Cemetery. Memorials to Logan County Manor in care of the funeral home, PO Box 221, Oakley 67748. Condolences www.kennedykosterfh.com