Leo Boom

Leo Monroe Boom, 83, a resident of Moline, Illinois died on Tuesday, January 4, 2011 in Bettendorf.

Graveside services with military honors will be held at 11:00 A.M. Wednesday, January 26, 2011 at the Rock Island National Cemetery. Those wishing to attend his service should meet at the McGinnis-Chambers Funeral Home in Bettendorf by 10:30 A.M. The family will greet friends from 5:00 P.M. to 7:00 P.M. on Tuesday, January 25, 2011 at the Wildwood Church, 18717 Hubbard Road in East Moline, Illinois. Memorials may be made to Mercy Waters (providing clean water worldwide to those in need), P.O. Box 1, Rapids City, Illinois 61278 or On Eagle’s Wings (for Native American children in need) in care of Ron Hutchcraft Ministries, Inc., P.O. Box 400, Harrison, Arizona 72606.

He was born in Madrid, Nebraska on August 25, 1927, the son of Theodore and Dora (Bank) Boom.

Leo retired in September of 1987 as a Computer Numerical Control Machinist at the Rock Island Arsenal where he had been employed for 20 years. In earlier years, he worked at the Webber Button Factory in Muscatine and then he worked as a machinist at the former Gould Battery Company of Rock Island, Illinois for 19 years. During the 1960’s Leo was also a homebuilder in the Quad-City area.

He was a U. S. Marines Corps veteran and was honorably discharged in May of 1946. He then served four years with the Iowa National Guard.

Among the things he enjoyed were playing racquet ball, tennis, hot air balloon rides, swimming, biking and parachuting. Leo was a licensed private pilot and a past member of the Manufacturing Engineers and the Elks Lodge. He attended the fitness center at the Arsenal nearly every day and was a fitness buff. He was an accomplished dancer, was a member of USA Dance, Inc. and loved attending the dances every Friday night at the Rusty Nail in Davenport, Iowa.

Those left to honor his memory include his daughters, Julie (Michael) Gray of Hillsdale, Illinois and Sherrie (Mark) Copeland of Silvis, Illinois; his sons, Mark (Laurie) VanderBoom of Maple Valley, Washington and Anthony (Ruth) Boom of Moline; his grandchildren, Lucy (Renato) Santos, Hannah Sweeney, Kari Salmonsen, Ryan Boom, Erin (Philip) Kristoffersen and Adam Gray; his great grandchildren, Ruby Rose Santos and Silas Darcy Santos; and his sister, Ida Covey in Washington State.

Leo was preceded in death by four sisters and two brothers.