Leonard Kimball

Leonard Lee Kimball passed away September 9, 2024 in Omaha, Nebraska at the age of 81 years. He was born May 13, 1943 in Forsyth, Montana.

Leonard is preceded in death by his parents, Donald and Naomi Kimball.

He is survived by his wife of 48 years, Mary Ann Kimball; sisters Jean (Richard †) Eyler and Donna (Dan) Meisburger; nephews Robert Eyler, Thomas Eyler, Stephen Meisburger, Scott Meisburger, and Brian (Shawna) King; niece Courtney (Brady) Roan; and great-nieces, great-nephews, and other family.

Leonard Kimball loved telling the stories of his life. Whether about his struggles as a young boy with two holes in his heart in Montana, or about his time as a young soldier in Vietnam, or about his long life in Omaha, Nebraska, Len always spoke with such a ferocity of spirit mixed with a sly, boyish grin. Most of all, Len’s stories exuded pride in a life lived well. 

Len was proud of his mom, who worked hard running the family’s motel in Forsyth, Montana, after Len’s dad was let go from the railroad due to the effects of Multiple Sclerosis. Len’s mom fiercely protected Len from bullying school principals and superintendents that didn’t believe he could do just about anything he set his mind to do, and his mom fought for Len to be one of the earliest in the nation to receive the heart surgery that would close the two holes that had sidelined him through so many physical activities growing up. Going under, Len was told he had a 50/50 chance of waking up again. Thankfully, Len always loved to beat the odds. 

When he was old enough to enlist, Len joined the Air Force both for love of country and to prove his heart was as healthy as any man’s. Len was accepted and proudly served as part of the security unit guarding the planes in Vietnam. Those same planes were unknowingly exposing Len to the chemical- Agent Orange-that would cause him so many health problems. 

Len was proud of his father who’d fought MS much of Len’s young life, and Len was proud of the fact he himself had fought for a leave from military service to go home when informed his dad was about to pass away. In fact, Len was always proud of how fast he could drive home to Montana in order to be with a seriously ill family member. 

Len was especially proud of the vivacious young lady he met at The Roaring 20s Dance Hall in Omaha, and how it had taken three tries to get her attention. Len knew Mary Ann was The One from that very first meeting, and he still burst with pride all of 48 years later telling how he had met her in October, had a ring on her finger by March, and had married her in July. 

Len beamed with pride over his many years as a salesman, having created the first inventory Dannon Yogurt had ever seen by tallying what the businesses on his route actually sold, upselling all his colleagues and catching the eye of upper management, who then implemented Len’s idea company wide. Yet, Len spent the most time in shoe sales, including Edison Brother’s where he proudly displayed a mustache that almost got him fired when his boss told him he could choose his mustache or his job. Luckily, the regional manager stepped in at the very last minute to say he rather liked Len’s facial hair and it could stay. 

The crowning glory of Len’s career was his winning sales record in the men’s shoe department at Dillard’s in which he won the most shoes sold several years in a row, and most impressively created such a loyal customer base that when he returned to visit the department several years after he had retired, every salesman knew him by reputation as half of Omaha had come to the store asking for Len by name.

Most of all, Len was proud of all his family members, especially his two sisters, Jean and Donna, as well as their respective husbands, Richard and Dan, and of all his nieces and nephews. He’d often tear up with pride relaying their varied accomplishments in life.

And in his latter years, Len was proud of his sports teams- even when there wasn’t much to be proud of- and proud of his own ability for making great plays in Rumikub, which he’d play most nights with his beloved Mary Ann and their friend Art. 

Yes, Len was quite the storyteller, with so many tales that will live on in all those who were fortunate enough to hear them, and in those lucky enough to call him husband, brother, uncle, or friend.

GRAVESIDE SERVICE Friday, September 27, at 11am at the Omaha National Cemetery. Memorials may be directed to the family.