Leon 'Lee' Jousma, 68
Leon "Lee" Jousma, 68, passed away on Saturday, July 4, 2009, at Brendan House in Kalispell. Lee was born on March 29, 1941, in Holland, Mich., to John and Marie (Weingarden) Jousma. He was raised in Holland and attended Holland High School.
Lee enlisted in the U.S. Army in 1959 and served at West Point until 1961. He proudly drove Omar Bradley in one of President Eisenhower's parades. He served in the Army Reserves from 1961 until 1965.
After serving in the Army, he attended Volkswagen repair schools and worked as a foreign auto mechanic for Ed Carroll Volkswagen, in Fort Collins, Colo. He then opened Lee's Auto Repair in Fort Collins, and then in Laramie, Wyo. In 1971 he became district sales manager for Nissan Motor Corporation, then was promoted to assistant regional sales manager in Denver. While working for Nissan, he and his wife traveled to Europe, Japan and Hawaii. Lee purchased Cache Valley Nissan in Smithfield, Utah, and was part owner of Shoreline Bar and Restaurant in Bigfork.
He attended Cannole Morton Real Estate School in Missoula, and sold real estate in the valley for several years.
Lee married Susan Granville in Denver on April 26, 1968.
He loved fishing, boating, hunting and NASCAR racing. He also supported the Bigfork VFW/ American Legion.
He was preceded in death by his parents, John and Marie Jousma; two brothers, Mel and Ron Jousma; a sister, Lois DeVries; and son, Steve Jousma.
He is survived by his wife, Susan Jousma; and a son, Mike Jousma; two brothers, Ed and Maxine Jousma, and Irwin and Karen Jousma; sisters, Rose and Bob Mannes, Phyllis and Scot Reyburn, and Pat and Dan Vos; in-laws, Earnest and Elaine Granville, and Jim and Lee Ann Granville; and numerous nieces and nephews.
Memorial services are pending at this time.
The family requests memorials be made in Lee's name to Wings in Kalispell; The Bigfork QRU; Denver Fisher House, VAMC, 1055 Claremont St., Denver, CO 80220; Bigfork American Legion; or a charity of choice.
You are invited to sign the register book or leave condolences at www.buffalohillfh.com. Buffalo Hill Funeral Home is caring for the family.