LEON HATTERMANN
Leon Henry Hattermann was born in Borden, Texas, on Dec. 28, 1936. He went home to be with the Lord on Nov. 14, 2022, at age 85. Leon was named after his one and only sister, Leona. She chose his name by asking their parents to take the “a” off of her name.
He started Borden School at 5 and graduated from Weimar High School in 1954 as the youngest boy in his class. When Leon was in the seventh grade, he bought a tractor that had been on fire for $200. He used this tractor to start mowing highways around his sophomore year. He was one of the first to use shredders. Around the time he got out of high school, the mowing was turned over to a county employee rather than private residents.
Due to the respect he earned from the county supervisor, he was given a bookkeeping job.
He was active in the FFA and had the grand champion steer in seventh grade. He also raised and showed hogs.
Leon was baptized on May 30, 1937, and confirmed on Feb. 4, 1957 at Weimar Evangelical Lutheran Church, now Weimar United Church. He joined the Army on June 6, 1957. He was assigned to the Army Artillery Unit as an acting sergeant at Fort Hood, Texas. During his service, he left New York Harbor on Pearl Harbor Day in 1957 and spent two years in Germany. Because he had worked in supply for the highway department, his military occupation speciality was in service and he was assigned to ration breakdown in an artillery outfit.
In 1959, Leon returned and continued to raise hogs, chickens and cattle on the family farm. The farm grew to an active poultry and livestock farm with 84,000 chickens, 10 sprawling hen houses, 50,000 eggs per day, and seven miles of conveyor belts to carry them from cage to packing machine.
On June 23, 1963, Leon married Alice Ann Baumbach in St. Paul Lutheran Church in Freyberg, Texas. They were active members of the Weimar United Church of Christ (now Weimar United Church). He served on the building committee that built the current church building and the parsonage. He also served on the Church Council several times.
Leon served on the Colorado County Farm Bureau board for over 50 years and on some national and state committees. He received the lifetime Pioneer Award. Leon enjoyed participating in agriculture in the classroom. He helped reach nine counties and 4,000 children with agriculture information through his service. He also served on the Weimar Independent School District board for 18 years and on the Girl Scout Council.
After over 45 years in the egg business, he downsized to selling freerange eggs at the Bayou City Farmer’s Market in Houston. There he enjoyed entertaining the customers and meeting new people. Everyone knew him as the “egg man” who had a welcoming smile and a sharp sense of humor.
He lived an amazing life full of love and generosity. He shared his heart with his family, community, church and all the people he came in contact with.
He is preceded in death by Henrietta and George Hattermann (parents), Alice Hattermann (wife), Leona Balzer Lyons (sister), Arnold Balzer (brother- in-law), Clyde Lyons (brother-in-law), and Mick Eckert (son-in-law).
Survivors include one niece, Carolyn Howard and her husband John of Lago Vista, Texas; three daughters: Janet Mandeville and her husband Kurt of Austin, Sharon Eckert of Celina, Texas, and Cindy Cooper and her husband Jim of Cedar Park, Texas. He is known as “Popo” to six grandchildren: Jordan Higgins, her husband Cody; Jared Eckert, his wife Danielle; Morgan and Nathan Mandeville; Ali Cooper and David Cooper; and four great-grandchildren: Lawson, Riley, Hunter, and Colt Higgins.
Also, special friend Jackie Marak-Bartosh of Weimar.
Services were 3 p.m. Saturday, Nov. 19, 2022, at Weimar United Church in Weimar, Texas, with the Rev. Jimmy Watson officiating. Visitation was 5-7 p.m. Friday, Nov. 18, 2022, at Henneke Funeral Home in Columbus, Texas, and at church on Saturday from 2-3 p.m.
Burial was at Masonic Cemetery in Weimar. Pallbearers were John Howard, Kurt Mandeville, Jim Cooper, Cody Higgins, Jared Eckert, Nathan Mandeville and David Cooper.
In lieu of flowers, memorials may be sent to Weimar FFA Alumni Scholarship Fund, _ Hill Bank and Trust, PO Box 157, Weimar, Texas 78962, or Weimar United Church, 403 W. Main St., Weimar, TX 78962, or Colorado County Farm Bureau, 1480 Walnut St., Columbus, TX 78934.
Online condolences may be given at www.hennekefuneralhome. com.