Leo "Lee" Tepoel

Visitation with the family will be held on Saturday, March 26 ^th from 4:00 – 7:00pm at McKown Funeral Home in Columbus.  A Celebration of Life Service will be held on Saturday, April 9, 2022, from 4:00 – 8:00pm at the Community Building in Humphrey, Nebraska.

Leo (Lee) Raymond TePoel was a man of amazing talent and could take a car that was in pieces and turn it into something extraordinary.  His knowledge of cars and engines will be missed by many.

Lee's story starts on September 22, 1948, in Wahoo, Nebraska, the oldest child of Raymond and Irene TePoel.  He attended school in Prague and after graduation was drafted into the Army.  Lee served one tour of duty in Vietnam as a flight engineer on a Chinook helicopter with the 1 ^st Aviation Brigade. Upon returning home, Lee began working at D&L in Columbus.  On December 1, 1973, he married Shirley (Hoadley) TePoel.  To this union two children were born, Kevin and Nicky.

In 1984, Lee was transferred with D&L to their plant in Red Oak, Iowa. The family resided in Red Oak for a few years then purchased a home in Villisca in 1987.  The TePoel garage became a popular place for local kids to work on cars and hang out. In 1995, Lee and Shirley moved back to Nebraska.  Lee retired from D&L after 32 years and then worked for Shell Valley for 6 years.

Lee was a charter member of the Midwest Street Rod Association.  He was also a member of the Midwest Deuces and the Prague American Legion.  In 1996 he won the Fastest Street Rod in Nebraska at the Nostalgia Drags in Kearney.  He was in inducted into the Greater Omaha Hot Rod Wall of Fame in 2020.  He won many other awards and trophies for the cars that he built. His love of cars was shared with his family through the numerous family trips and vacations to car shows and drag races around the country.

Over the years Lee struggled with health issues but continued to work on cars and share his knowledge with his family and friends. Lee passed away at home on March 22, 2022.  He is survived by his wife Shirley, son Kevin (friend Chastity Binns), daughter Nicky (Chad) Jacobs, grandchildren Chance, Tucker and Peyton TePoel, Olivia Soar, Olivia and Rylee Jacobs.  Sisters Jeanne (Ron) Vanek, Susan (Joe) Robison, Sister-in-law Kim TePoel, brothers Jeff (Deanne) TePoel and Bert TePoel.  Sister-in-law Kathy (friend Tommy Finkral) Rutan, brothers-in-law Red (Sheila) Hoadley, Chuck (Deb) Hoadley, sister-in-law Mary (Dave) Chohon, brothers -in-law Gary (Lisa) Hoadley, Larry (Kim) Hoadley and Mike (Sheila) Hoadley as well as many other nieces, nephews and friends.

He is proceeded in death by his parents Raymond and Irene TePoel, In-laws George and Dart Hoadley, brother Chris TePoel, brothers-in-law Cliff Rutan, Don Hoadley and Randy Hoadley.