Leonard Raymond Theobald

On Sunday, May 21, 2023, Leonard Ray Theobald, age 85, of Albuquerque, New Mexico, passed away peacefully at home while surrounded by his family; keeping in mind that some could only attend in spirit.
Leonard and his wife, Dixie, who passed away on Tuesday, February 21, 2022, had celebrated their 59th wedding anniversary just before her death. They are survived by their three children and three grandchildren.
Daughter, Sundee Lorene Theobald Hudson and her husband, Cyril Hudson (Portland, OR).
Son, Dallas Raymond Theobald and his wife, Cecilia Theobald; grandsons, Jordan Theobald and Jesse Brown (Albuquerque, N.M.).
Son, Kendell Lee Theobald and his wife, Sharon Theobald and granddaughter Shelby Rose Theobald (Albuquerque, N.M.).
He was preceded in death by his parents, Dallas Raymond Theobald and Ortrude LaZona Theobald Richardson.
Leonard was born in Spokane, Washington on Sunday, October 3, 1937. Leonard's parents resided in California and Washington until his father was tragically killed in a logging accident when Leonard was only 14 years old. Afterward, he was raised by his father's family who moved to New Mexico around 1951 where he attended and graduated from Albuquerque, High in 1957. After graduation he worked and enjoyed building hot rods which he raced on the streets of Albuquerque when Eubank was still a dirt road. He even knew and raced with Al Unser Senior.
He enlisted in the US Army in October 1961 and was honorably discharged in December 1962. He met and fell in love with Dixie in Albuquerque and were married on Sunday, February 17, 1963, and soon after started their family. Dixie and Leonard moved back to Washington in 1966 through 1968 so that he could attend electronics school before returning to Albuquerque where he settled into the pipe fitter profession with the Local Union #412; working many years for Los Alamos National Labs and ultimately retired in 2012.
Leonard was a loving, caring, and hardworking individual with a talent for wood working and carving, carving leather, and making sheepskin slippers. He thought that wood carving might have been his life talent if he'd only found it sooner in life. His carvings, teachings, values, love, and spirit are now passed on to the next generation.
Well, writing this obituary will make it final, and one of our life heroes has moved on to the next great adventure. Dad's life could fill volumes, but you'd never really know it. He was humble, honest, and one hell of a hard worker. Now it's our turn to teach the next generation to do what he'd taught us - be honest, have values, achieve your goals, put bullies (life's wolves) in their place, and live your best life.

Thanks for being a great dad, husband, granddad, friend, and citizen.

Love you Pop!