Another sweet comment:

I first met Ken at the annual Math Department Picnic... sounds like a blast, right? I had just transferred to ENMU and didn't know anyone other than one fellow student and a few professors. He was the first to introduce himself and begin conversation with me. He was so very accepting and friendly, you would have thought we had been friends for years. He then went on to offer me a tofu hotdog. lol!
It meant a lot to me to be so warmly invited into that small little "math circle" that now feels like home. His kindness and love of tofu hotdogs will remain in my memory forever.
~Mary Beth Williams

How to post comments to this website

Hi everyone,
We appreciate all of your kind comments, and hope you keep posting!
When posting a comment, you will be asked to select a profile to verify your identity. The easiest thing to do is post as "Anonymous." If you have a google account, AOL account, website, or any of the other choices in the "profile" menu, you can also sign in and post under that ID.

(if none of this makes sense to you, then after typing in your comment just click on the "select profile" menu and choose "anonymous". Please include your whole name in the text of the comment.)

Polly

Here is another contribution to the newspaper obituaries' comment section:


November 30, 2009
Kenny and Jimmy were the first friends I had when I came to live in Merced from Germany. My parents (zierenberg) have been lifelong friends with Ken and Barbara.

It was so exciting to find out that Kenny was an artist. He always had a flare. What I remember the most is his kindness to me when I couldn't speak a word of English. That will always stay in my heart. Though both boys were younger than me, I always knew they would turn into special people.

My prayers are with his family. May God Bless you and help you through this terrible time.

Liesel Woodard,
Germany

From Jim's first wife, Rochele Gardner:

I am Rochele; Kenny was my brother-in-law for 18 years, becoming Uncle Kenny. I always wanted to keep this magnificent person in my life, and thanks to my girls (Jenny & Rebecca) I was able to keep up with the Leap/Aragon family through them, and yearly Christmas photos & cards.

Our family photo albums are a treasure to me with many, many pictures of Kenny involved in all family things, family holiday meals in Merced & Fresno, Kenny driving the tractor while Jim loaded the hay, playing stick & ring toss in the canal with nieces & half brother & sister at the Locan house, snow camping, sailing, etc., all with wonderful, happy stories behind them. One of my most outstanding memories of Ken is when Jim was reported missing during a winter camping trip. Ken was in town with us and asked how I was doing, I said that I had been worried, but that Jim had sent me a message letting us know he was OK. Ken first looked at me with a questioning expression and I watched his eyes & Face change to understanding & believe. Ken was always a kind, supportive person.

It has taken me awhile to write my comments, because with all my wonderful memories and knowing Kenny will always be in my heart & mind, it is still a sad & painful loss of this very special ‘Kenny’

Here are more comments in response to the Portales News-Tribune obituary:

November 21, 2009
Ken's spirit was such a wonderful part of our group when Ken and I worked together at RELA in Boulder. I have been, and continue to be, inspired by his approach to life. What a loss...
Steve Stearns,
Boulder, Colorado

November 21, 2009
Kenny was such a gentle loving soul who left a similar legacy. I am blessed to have shared a small window of time with him and his beautiful spirit.
Jane Bowman/Kuhn,
Clovis, California

November 23, 2009
Regina, I am so sorry to hear of Ken's passing. Many years have passed since I have seen you, but I still remember the great times we used to have at Troy and Maxine's house. Please know that my thoughts and prayers are with you and your family. May God Bless you.
Always, Grace
Grace Padilla,
Albuquerque, New Mexico

November 26, 2009
I will always remember the good times we had while working at PROFS. Rest in peace, my friend.
Steve Kulpa,
Nolensville, Tennessee

November 29, 2009
I met Ken when I was 19 on top of Half Dome in Yosemite National Park. We were both celebrating our birthdays. Ken and I hiked the Sierras, climbed mountains and were young and on the loose in the Sierras. It was a grand time. Since then my husband Smiley, Regina and I and our children have kept contact and all became fast friends. It was with a very sad heart that we heard of Ken's passing. He was an inspiration in my hiking, Smiley's sailing, and our sons were in awe of his many talents. We have all been deeply saddened by the loss of him. I will, however, continue to hike the Sierras, and Ken will live forever on the emulsion sheets of my mind. He will be remembered in the cool mountain breezes, the end of the trail that was just around the corner, as he liked to say, and in the starry starry nights of infinite beauty in the mountains he so loved. He will sail along with Smiley in his sailboat, floating on the wind following the wake. He was, and will always be, our dear friend. He is loved and missed. We love you Regina and Jess, and Chris. Come to the Sierras and we will all walk on the trails your husband (father) so loved. He will be with us there. He lives on in all of us who loved him.
~
Lori and Smiley Tierney,
Mariposa, California

Dear all:
I have realized that there is a limit to the size of comments.  I would suggest you write your comments in a text editing program (like Word), and then copy and paste into the comments field.  Add comments to any of my posts; I'll catch them all.  If the site refuses to add them, then email them to me and I will include them as a post.  Again, though, if you don't want them included here let me know, and I'll just save them for the final book.
It was wonderful to meet so many of you at the memorial service, and to know how much love and support is surrounding Regina and the kids right now.
Polly

The following comment is from Willy Hereman:



Dear Regina, Jessica, Christopher,
Dear family members and friends,

My name is Willy Hereman, or "Willy, the Belgian" as Ken would call me. I'd like to share with you two short stories to illustrate Ken's unassuming friendship and creative talent.

I met Ken for the first time when I joined the Colorado School of Mines in August 1989, more than twenty years ago now. Ken was teaching mathematics at Mines. The secretary introduced us. Ken and I chatted for a half hour and I found out that we were living on the same street in Boulder. As many of his friends experienced, I felt naturally drawn to Ken, the optimistic and sincere man, with a great sense of adventure. When I met Ken again near the end of my first week at Mines. Ken asked "Willy, what is up in Boulder this weekend?" "I have a busy weekend coming up," I replied, "My stuff from Wisconsin is still in storage. I will rent a truck and take care of the move." Ken said: You will need help! He paused, and asked "What is the largest piece you have?" "A full size mattress and matching spring box," I replied. "No need for a truck," Ken said, "I can put that mattress and spring box on top of my car." And so it went. Ken, who I had known less than a week helped me with my move which took the better part of a saturday. I thought if all people in Boulder are as nice and helpful as Ken then I certainly picked the right place to live! Ken was the first person I knew in Boulder and he has a special place in my heart. I had a great time in Boulder with Ken and his friends, and later also with Regina and her friends.

The second story narrates my first glimpse at Ken's talent as an artist. Halloween night, 1991. My house mate Genie and I are hosting a pumping carving party. Ken is there with several of our Boulder friends. All of use are frantically carving the typical scary faces with square teeth, except for Ken. He is staring at his pumpkin, turning it, staring and turning, contemplating what to do.
That went on for several minutes and we were wondering what he was up to. Suddenly, he got to work and transformed the pumpkin into the face of a lovely cat, with whiskers and all.
I said, Ken you are an artist! He grinned and said: "Willy, you did not see the cat inside?"

Whatever Ken touched turned into gold. His creativity and passion were an inspiration for us. A devoted husband, a loving father, a trusted friend, a creative spirit, a beautiful mind, and caring soul. Reinhilde and I treasure the memories of your friendship and love.

Kenneth Jay Leap, Jr. (Kenny, to many of us) passed away on November 13, 2009. He had a long, productive life, filled with curiosity, passion, drive, and love, and most definitely left way too soon. We know that all of you are thinking of him right now, and Regina has asked me (Kenny's sister-in-law) to set up this site so that you can share some of those thoughts with us and with each other. Any comments are welcome and appreciated, but in particular we want to collect and preserve some of your specific memories of him, so that his children have a more complete view of him to carry with them as they grow up. The intent is to gather these all into a book, adding any photos, artwork, or other items that people feel inspired to contribute. Private comments are also welcome; those and photos can be emailed to me (polly_goldman@yahoo.com) for inclusion with the rest.
Let us know how you knew Ken, when and where you met him, and any particular memories you have that stick out in your mind. For myself, the image that keeps coming back is a photo I have of Ken shooting down a snow-covered hill on a tarp on his belly, arms and legs up, mouth open, letting fate take over his destination for a short time. I need to find that photo.

For all of you reading this: please remember that life is precious and unpredictable, and to savor every bit of it with compassion, love, and joy.
Much love,
Polly (and Regina, Barbara, Ken Sr., and Jim)