Rev. Falling

Anderson, IN - Leroy passed to his heavenly home on Wednesday, September 26, 2007, at Bethany Point Health Campus in Anderson. He was born on a farm on Indian allotment land, in Craig County, OK (near Vinita) to Freddie E. and Elvina (Cook) Falling. He was preceded in death by his parents; a sister, Betty Mae Spence; a granddaughter, Sarah Falling Newman; and a daughter-in-law, Valerie Falling. Survivors include his wife of 57 years, Florence Lucille (Lennex) of Anderson, Indiana, whom he married in June 1950; and four children, Sidney Lee Falling & his wife, Gayle of Gurley, Alabama, Stanton Thomas Falling & his wife, Carol of Weisbaden, Germany, Timothy Jay Falling & his wife, Shannon of Butler, Pennsylvania, and Sali Kay Malm & her husband, Loren of Anderson, Indiana; grandchildren, Jill Towers & her husband, Dan of Keystone Heights, Florida, Carrie Falling of Highwood, Illinois, Frances and Benjamin Falling of Wiesbaden, Germany, Joshua and Jordan Falling of Butler, Pennsylvania; two step-grandchildren, Lily and Shae Cogley of Butler, Pennsylvania; by great-grandchildren, Dakota, Ramiro, Andre and Madelyn Towers, all of Keystone Heights, Florida; one sister-in-law, Kathryn Lennex of Clearwater, Florida. Also, survived by four brothers, Louis Falling & his wife, Naomi of Vinita, Oklahoma, George Falling & his wife, Geneva of Afton, Oklahoma, Frank Falling & his wife, Nancy of Glendale, Arizona and Don Falling of Helena, Montana; three sisters, Thelma Allison of Vinita, Imagene Martin & her husband, Joe of Chelsea, Oklahoma and Roena Carpenter & her husband, Odell of Bixby, Oklahoma; and many nieces and nephews. Leroy served in the U.S. Navy during World War II and the Korean War. Leroy was always proud of his Cherokee Indian heritage and his roots in Oklahoma. He had a passion to help Indian people, educationally and spiritually, especially young people. He furthered his education after the war, preparing to teach Indian children. He taught on the Nez Perce Reservation in Idaho and later was involved in teaching and/or administration at Bureau of Indian Affairs' boarding schools on the Navajo Reservation in Arizona. He eventually transferred to the Alburquerque, BIA office as an educational specialist. Later he was able to help Indian young people to gain a college education as he transferred to the BIA office in Washington, D.C., where he had administrative responsibility for Indian Community Colleges in several states. He retired from Government service in 1983 and moved to Anderson to assume the position of Director of Indian Ministries for the Church of God Home Missions Program, retiring again in 1991. Above all things, Leroy was a devoted husband and father, and a faithful servant of God. He was a member of the Disabled American Veterans, the Anderson Noon Lions Club and the East Side Church of God in Anderson. Graveside service will be 11 a.m., Tuesday, October 2, 2007 at Timpson Chapel Cemetery, west of Vinita, Oklahoma with Rev. Odell Carpenter officiating. Local arrangements are by Luginbuel Funeral Home. In lieu of flowers, the family requests that memorial contributions be made to the B. Adam Williams Scholarship Fund for Native Americans, Church of God Ministries, Anderson, Indiana.

Service Details

Tuesday, October 2nd, 2007 11:00am, Timpson Chapel Cemetery

Interment Details

Timpson Chapel Cemetery