Leo J. Coers, Jr.

Leo J. Coers, Jr., met his Lord on April 14, 2011. Leo was at Eden Hill in New Braunfels, Texas, after a short illness, when he died just one day after celebrating his 87th birthday, surrounded by his family and friends. Leo was born in Seguin, Texas on April 13, 1924, to Leopold John Coers, Sr., and Augusta Krueger Coers who later resided in Lockhart. After graduating from Lo

ckhart High School in 1942, he attended A&M University; however, his college was interrupted by an enlistment in the United States Navy where he served as a Navy Pilot in World War II. He returned to A&M in February 1945 and in June 1949, he graduated with a Bachelor of Science in Aerospace Engineering. It was in l960 he graduated from the Naval Test Pilot School. He served as a flight instructor in World War II and the Korean War. Leo’s accomplishments in the field of aeronautics were as a test pilot and engineer for Boeing, Chance Vought Aircraft, McDonald Douglas, Cessna and finally Swearingen in San Antonio, all of which brought him great satisfaction. At Swearingen he promoted and encouraged the A&M Co-op Program for students in the field of aeronautics. After his retirement from Fairchild Aviation in 1988 he continued to pursue his passion of developing an aircraft corporation to design a single engine jet. “The House of Leo” was his home at Canyon Lake where he resided for 39 years. Leo had many interests as he sailed in the Vera Cruz Regatta in 1990, was an avid water skier, enjoyed bird hunting, and competed in numerous skeet shoots. He belonged to the Men’s Class of the Bible Study Fellowship in New Braunfels and attended the Hillside Fellowship Church in Spring Branch, Texas. Leo is survived by a sister, Eleanor “Ellie” Coers Terk and her husband, John Johnson, of San Antonio; two nieces and their husbands, Kimberly Murphy-Blank and Ron Blank, of San Antonio, and Kristin Terk Belt and Stephen (Wheat) Belt, of Austin. He also leaves two great-nieces, Morgan Murphy and McKenna Murphy, a great-nephew Mitchell Murphy, and a large, countless family of aunts, uncles and cousins in Texas, California, and Monterrey, Mexico. He is also survived by his close neighbors and surrogate family, Kent and Felinda Ellis and their two sons, Dillon and Bret, of Canyon Lake, Texas. The memorial service was planned in the Doeppenschmidt Funeral Home Chapel in New Braunfels, Texas, on Thursday April 21 at 2 p.m. In lieu of flowers a donation may be sent to the Bible Study Fellowship or Texas A & M Aerospace Dept. Scholarship Fund. Mail to: 401 George Bush Dr., College Station, TX 77840. IMO: Leo J. Coers.