Leroy Burns Bouma

Leroy Burns Bouma, 87, passed at the Pondera Medical Center Extended Care on April 24, 2021 from natural causes. Leroy was born August 18,1933 in Choteau to Herman and Margaret Bouma. He contacted encephalitis from a mosquito bite at the age of 10, spending 3 months in the St. Mary’s Hospital in Conrad. The next summer Leroy had a bicycle accident where the seat struck the base of his neck which caused further nerve damage.
Leroy enjoyed mowing lawns around town and for the City of Conrad on one of his many mowers. Wintertime brought out the tractor with the snow blade, he would remove snow around the neighborhood making his first pass the length of his block before school so the children heading to school wouldn’t have to walk in the deep snow.
He enjoyed spending time in his garage tinkering on anything and everything with moving parts, mowers, tractors, bicycles, and his many cars over the years. A few of the cars he owned over the years were a Ford Fairmont, Chevy El Camino, BMW Isetta (3wheels,1 seater), BMW Isetta (4 wheels, 2-seater) also his 1952 Harley Davidson. Leroy found pleasure riding his one of his 3-wheel bicycles or side by side Mule downtown Conrad to grocery shop, stop in at Homes Cafe for a burger or Olson’s Drug for a cup of coffee.
Leroy had a fondness for music, he along with his mother, Margaret, had a large diversified vinyl album collection, if you happen to walking by their home on a summer evening you may hear anything from Elvis, Johnny Cash, Tennessee Ernie Ford, Gospel or spiritual hymns, the hymns being their favorite. Leroy had some of the best life-long neighbors who would visit and assist when needed.
Dogs were a highlight in Leroy’s life. He took in many a stray over the years along with a cat now and then. The dogs had their own assigned front seat of the car when cruising around Conrad. His last dog being Gates, a golden lab service dog, who was Leroy’s companion for about 7 years at the ECF.
Leroy was a man of great faith and believed “My flesh and my heart may fail, but God is the strength of my heart and my portion forever.” (Psalm 73:26) Over the years he looked forward to his time with Bev Anderson reading scriptures from the bible, Joanne Cobb (or as he called her “Cobb”) singing hymns to him or Dan Cobb driving him and Gates out to the ranch or cemetery over the last few years.
He is survived by numerous cousins, second cousins, along with close friends that are a testament of his character as a humble, loyal, honest and giving man with a large dose of Dutch determination.
A special thank you to Dr. Taylor and the staff at the PMC ECF over the last 13 years, 4 months ; your compassion, support, and professionalism are greatly appreciated. You all worked to ease to our loss, and we are so appreciative.

Graveside services will be Monday, June 7, at 1pm at Hillside Cemetery.