Joseph "Joe" Lehan
May 14, 1940 — August 7, 2017
Joseph “Joe” Daniel Lehan was born on May 14, 1940, the son of Charles and Wilma (Blum) Lehan in Defiance, Iowa. He was baptized and confirmed at St. Peter’s Catholic Church in Defiance, Iowa. Joe attended St. Paul’s Catholic High School in Defiance graduating with the class of 1956. He furthered his education by attending Creighton University in Omaha, Nebraska and graduated in 1964. On August 15, 1965, Joe joined the Army and served stateside during the Vietnam War as a medic with Company B 3rd BN USA Medic 4th USA Army. He honorably served his country until January 9, 1966.
Joe met Connie Lee Hagood while she was living in Council Bluffs, Iowa, and he was working at Con Drug. Connie stopped into the pharmacy to pick up a prescription and had given an envelope with her name on it to the cashier. It had been thrown away and Joe dug the envelope out of the trash and started working on finding Connie. He found her and a relationship ensued. Joe and Connie were married on February 9, 1968, at Queen of Apostles Parish in Council Bluffs, Iowa. To this union four sons were born: Todd, Mark, Troy, and Matthew. The family had a set dinner time and Joe taught the boys the value of work ethic.
Joe was proud to be a small town Pharmacist owning Lehan Pharmacy in Minden, Iowa. After forty years, he retired on May 23, 2008, selling the pharmacy. Joe was proud to give non-stop to the Minden Community.
In Joe’s spare time, he enjoyed collecting guns, coins, and postage stamps; reading westerns, watching auto racing (loved Dale Earnhardt, Jr.), walking on county roads, and especially helping people. Joe was proud to be a on the Farmers & Merchants State Bank Board of Directors in Neola, Iowa, since 1993 and a board member with the Iowa West Foundation. He cherished quality time with family and thrived on sharing life stories and military history with his grandchildren. Joe had no enemies and had a contagious belly laugh that will be missed.
Joe died at home on Monday, August 7, 2017, having attained the age of seventy-seven years, two months, and twenty-four days. He is preceded in death by his parents and sister Jeanie Wells.
He is survived by his wife of forty-nine years Connie Lehan of Minden; sons Todd Lehan and his wife Lori of Minden; Mark Lehan and his wife Elizabeth of Papillion, Nebraska; Troy Lehan of Omaha, Nebraska; Matthew Lehan of Madison, Wisconsin; grandchildren Kirsten, Brooklyn, Derek, Luke, Landry, and Mabry; siblings Bert Lehan and his wife Suzanne of Marcus, Iowa; JoAnn Miller of California, Pennsylvania; Dennis Lehan and his wife Linda of Dunlap, Iowa; Connie Lehan of Shenandoah, Iowa; Charles Lehan, Jr. and his wife Joni of Lakewood Village, Texas; Daniel Lehan of Denison, Iowa; James Lehan and his wife Connie of Spencer, Iowa; many nieces and nephews; and friends.
The family requests to honor Joe's local leadership, memorial checks may be sent to The Joe Lehan Memorial Fund at the Pottawattamie County Community Foundation, 536 East Broadway, Council Bluffs, IA, 51503. All donations are tax deductible, and 100% of the fund will be used in a way to beautify and maintain Minden's parks.
Joe met Connie Lee Hagood while she was living in Council Bluffs, Iowa, and he was working at Con Drug. Connie stopped into the pharmacy to pick up a prescription and had given an envelope with her name on it to the cashier. It had been thrown away and Joe dug the envelope out of the trash and started working on finding Connie. He found her and a relationship ensued. Joe and Connie were married on February 9, 1968, at Queen of Apostles Parish in Council Bluffs, Iowa. To this union four sons were born: Todd, Mark, Troy, and Matthew. The family had a set dinner time and Joe taught the boys the value of work ethic.
Joe was proud to be a small town Pharmacist owning Lehan Pharmacy in Minden, Iowa. After forty years, he retired on May 23, 2008, selling the pharmacy. Joe was proud to give non-stop to the Minden Community.
In Joe’s spare time, he enjoyed collecting guns, coins, and postage stamps; reading westerns, watching auto racing (loved Dale Earnhardt, Jr.), walking on county roads, and especially helping people. Joe was proud to be a on the Farmers & Merchants State Bank Board of Directors in Neola, Iowa, since 1993 and a board member with the Iowa West Foundation. He cherished quality time with family and thrived on sharing life stories and military history with his grandchildren. Joe had no enemies and had a contagious belly laugh that will be missed.
Joe died at home on Monday, August 7, 2017, having attained the age of seventy-seven years, two months, and twenty-four days. He is preceded in death by his parents and sister Jeanie Wells.
He is survived by his wife of forty-nine years Connie Lehan of Minden; sons Todd Lehan and his wife Lori of Minden; Mark Lehan and his wife Elizabeth of Papillion, Nebraska; Troy Lehan of Omaha, Nebraska; Matthew Lehan of Madison, Wisconsin; grandchildren Kirsten, Brooklyn, Derek, Luke, Landry, and Mabry; siblings Bert Lehan and his wife Suzanne of Marcus, Iowa; JoAnn Miller of California, Pennsylvania; Dennis Lehan and his wife Linda of Dunlap, Iowa; Connie Lehan of Shenandoah, Iowa; Charles Lehan, Jr. and his wife Joni of Lakewood Village, Texas; Daniel Lehan of Denison, Iowa; James Lehan and his wife Connie of Spencer, Iowa; many nieces and nephews; and friends.
The family requests to honor Joe's local leadership, memorial checks may be sent to The Joe Lehan Memorial Fund at the Pottawattamie County Community Foundation, 536 East Broadway, Council Bluffs, IA, 51503. All donations are tax deductible, and 100% of the fund will be used in a way to beautify and maintain Minden's parks.
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