Leroy Edwin Heisterberg, 99, of Shawnee, Kansas, was called to his heavenly home on Saturday, January 31, 2026.
Leroy was born May 26, 1926 in Cole Camp, Missouri. The sixth of eight children born to Fred and Clara (Meier) Heisterberg, Leroy attended Trinity Lutheran School through 8thgrade before attending and graduating from Cole Camp HighSchool in 1944. After graduation, Leroy was drafted and served in the United States Army during World War II. He was a member of the European Theater and was deployed to Le Havre, France where he arrived on May 8, 1945—the day Germany surrendered. Once the war ended, he returned to the United States and worked as an Army clerk, processing service member discharge orders. After being honorably discharged from the Army in 1946, Leroy spent a brief time living and working in Illinois before returning to Missouri. In 1949, he joined General Motors where he had a long career until retiring in 1990 after 43 years of service.
Leroy married Idella Lutjen, whom he met in high school, on March 19, 1950. Leroy and Idella settled in Shawnee, Kansas and welcomed two daughters; Linda, born in 1951 and Cheryl, born in 1952. They were lovingly married for 45 years until Idella’s passing in 1995. Two years later, on November 1, 1997, Leroy married Jan Cunningham. Leroy and Jan remained together for 15 years until her death in 2012.
Leroy was a lifelong, faithful and devout Lutheran. He joined Hope Lutheran Church in Shawnee, Kansas in 1958, where he was a member for 68 years. He participated in the church choir, served as deacon, and held various official positions. Leroy was also a member of the Lutheran Layman’s League, where he served as President. Leroy joyfully served the Lord through his church activities and support of many charitable organizations, including volunteering at Kansas City’s Meals on Wheels for nearly 30 years. Leroy was also an avid gardener and sports enthusiast.
A true family man, Leroy believed his greatest accomplishment was his family. He was preceded in death by his parents, his two wives, Idella (Lutjen) Heisterberg and Jan (Cunningham) Heisterberg, all seven of his siblings: Thelma Brockman, Helen Bauer, Esther Worden, Evelyn Steffans, Olaf Heisterberg, Leonard Heisterberg and Marcus Heisterberg, and two infant granddaughters, Rachel Brockman and Renee Brockman. He is survived by his daughters, Linda (Bill) Guerry of Lenexa, Kansas and Cheryl (Randy) Brockman of Cole Camp, Missouri, five grandchildren, Rebecca (Phil) Kreisman, Bill (Heather) Guerry, Michelle (Robert) Smith, Michael (Laine) Guerry and Alan Brockman, 12 great-grandchildren, Jack, Katelyn,Margaret, John, Olivia, William, Elisabeth, Idella, Rebecca, Sloane, Quinn and Whit, his sister-in-law, Edna Heisterberg, as well as many nieces and nephews.
Visitation for Leroy will be held on Thursday, February 5, 2026 at 9:30am at Hope Lutheran Church (6308 Quivira Road, Shawnee, Kansas), with funeral service to immediately follow beginning at 10:30am. Family and friends are invited to gather for a lunch reception after the service, with internment to occur at 1:00pm at Johnson County Memorial Gardens (11200 Metcalf Avenue, Overland Park, Kansas). In lieu of flowers, memorial gifts may be given to Hope Lutheran Church, The Lutheran Hour or Ascend Hospice.
Those who knew Leroy will remember his kind heart, generous spirit and deep and unwavering faith. Though he will be deeply missed, his family finds peace in knowing he has been welcomed home and now rests in eternal glory with his Lord.