Leon’s Transmission is sorry to announce the passing of Leon Reed.
For those of you who knew him, he will be missed.
Below is a copy of Leon’s Obituary.
Leon Reed Obituary
September 28, 2012
Leon Clifford Reed went to be with his Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ, on Thursday, September 27, 2012 at Salem Hospital. He died from complications following surgery. He was born in Arvada, Colorado, May 16, 1935, to Earl and Cleo Reed.
He was the oldest of four children. His mother died when he was seven. The children were subsequently raised by their beloved daddy. He graduated from Greenfield High School in Missouri. He was honorably discharged in 1956 from the United States Marine Corp where he served in the Korean War achieving the rank of staff sergeant. He met his wife Susan in Southern California. They married on June 16, 1956 and had five children. He founded Leon’s Transmission Service which currently has seven locations in Southern California. He retired at age 42 and headed North to Oregon where he pursued his dream of cattle ranching and other entrepreneurial endeavors. He was also active in cutting horse and team penning competitions. He loved to golf and spend time with his buddies at the Dallas Golf Club.
He rarely missed an opportunity to attend his children’s and grandchildren’s sporting events and other activities. He was referred to by many as their most loyal fan and supporter. Throughout his life; he consistently lived his faith by helping and serving others. He was a Sunday School teacher, a Meals on Wheels volunteer, a CASA volunteer, and a Reading Buddies volunteer. He was known by many as someone they could always count on for help when needed.
Leon is survived by his wife Susan, two daughters and their spouses, Gayle and Jerry Everhart, Kathleen and Christopher Roosevelt, three sons and their spouses, Gary and Lisa Reed, Doug and Synova Reed, Kevin and Tracy Reed, his brothers Charles and Dwight, fourteen grandchildren, five great-grandchildren, and numerous nieces and nephews. He was preceded in death by his sister Earlyne Reimer.
Yes, there really is a Leon! Leon Reed was a pioneer in the automotive repair industry in the late 1950’s. In 1960, he opened a small shop in Reseda where he specialized in automatic transmission repair.
Leon and his small staff (which included the present owner Hank) started building a reputation for providing quality work and fair prices. In a short time, Leon’s Transmissions was referred to as “The Old Reliable.” It is a slogan that has remained, and Leon’s has grown into 7 state-of-the-art transmission facilities.
Our Reputation is Everything...
After 50 years in business, Leon's has earned an excellent reputation in the auto care industry. You may be surprised to learn that many service stations, independent auto repair shops, and auto dealers throughout this region use Leon's for their own customers' transmission service. Their shops have come to depend on Leon's over the years because they know the jobs will get done right.
Wouldn't you feel better knowing your car has been serviced by a company that earned the approval of the general public and their peers in the auto repair industry for over 50 years? For your next service or repair, do what so many others have done and call your nearest Leon's Transmission Service Center.
KABC Radio's Leon Kaplan Recommends...
Many times people are confused thinking talk show host Leon Kaplan, "The Motorman" on KABC radio owns Leon's Transmissions. It's an easy mistake to make because to hear him talk and brag of us, you would think the shop is his!
The interest and respect Mr. Kaplan has for our organization lead to Leon's Transmissions being a sponsor of his radio show for over 10 years.
Mr. Kaplan has extensive experience in not only the automotive industry, but in the aviation and watercraft industry as well. His expertise in both "old school" and "new school" automobiles makes him one of the most sought after celebrities in the automotive field.
We are proud of our professional and personal association with "The Motorman" and look forward to many more years together.