Ben Leyda

April 3, 1919 - September 30, 2014

N. Benjamin Leyda, 95, of Bloomfield died Tuesday, September 30, 2014 at the Bloomfield Care Center. He was born April 3, 1919 in Davis County, Iowa to Neil F. and Freda Bannister Leyda. He graduated from Bloomfield High School in 1937. Ben married Helen M. Solomon January 18, 1941 in Ottumwa, Iowa. She preceded him in death December 22, 2012. The couple started life together on a farm nine miles south of Bloomfield and lived there until the summer of 1997 when they sold the farm and moved to Bloomfield. Ben was a member of the IOOF Lodge and former member of the Rebekah Lodge, Davis County Farm Bureau, and the NRA. He served 46 years on the Wyaconda Township Election Board. He worked for Hamilton Produce for 29 years. He is survived by a son, James F. (Sally Tedrow) Leyda of Keokuk, Iowa; three grandsons, Brian (Ann) Leyda of Sioux Falls, South Dakota, Christopher (Patty) Leyda of Pleasant Hill, Missouri; Troy (Rhonda) Leyda of Des Moines, Iowa; seven great-grandchildren, Neil and Megan of Sioux Falls, Wyatt and Katelyn of Pleasant Hill, Mary Grace, Catherine, and Benjamin of Des Moines; and a brother, Bill (June) Leyda of Mt. Pleasant, Iowa. He was preceded in death by his parents; wife; daughter-in-law, Sandy K. Leyda; and a brother, Bob Leyda. Memorial services will be at 11:00 a.m. on Saturday, October 11, 2014 at the Wagler Funeral Home in Bloomfield with Pastor Jack Knox officiating. Burial of the cremains will be at the IOOF Cemetery in Bloomfield. Visitation will begin at 9:00 a.m. on Saturday with the family present to greet friends from 10:00 a.m. until the time of the service. In Lieu of flowers, memorials have been established to Davis County Dollars for Scholars and the Bloomfield Christian Church.