Leif Arne Bilen

Born February 25, 1940 in Sweden to Arne Gustav and Majken Elfrida (Bengtsson) Bilen, Leif spent his childhood in rural Sweden and later near Gothenburg, always fascinated by stories of this great country across the ocean. His parents encouraged him to apply for an exchange student scholarship to attend high school in America, and in 1957 he arrived by boat to a nice family in SiIver Spring, Maryland, the family of his future wife, Bonnie (Evalyn Sue) Schnebly. During this senior year, his love for the country grew as he got to experience the American lifestyle.

Leif returned to Sweden to finish high school and fulfill his yearlong military obligation. Leif and Bonnie visited each other over the next few years and their friendship blossomed into romance. They married December 28, 1963, moving to New York in order for Bonnie to complete her nursing degree. Leif worked at Chase Manhattan Bank while Bonnie attended Cornell University. They then returned to Sweden to allow Leif to finish his teaching degree, with the promise of returning to America if Bonnie didn’t like it. 10 years and 3 children later, they did return to America for what was intended to be one year, but became a long and happy life in the U.S.

Leif taught high school English in Sweden and also worked for a bus company, trucking company and plumbing company. As a lover of the English language, he co-authored a series of books on teaching English with a good friend. He played soccer on the local team, rode a motor scooter and took the family on camping trips. His parents were more than happy to spend time with their grandchildren. In 1974, the family moved to Silver Spring, MD to spend time with their American grandparents.

Leif first worked for a trust company in Maryland, but then in 1981 he made a career change that would prove to be of significance. Without any experience in the car industry, Cy Shelton at Volvo hired him for the potential he saw, and Leif started as an Owner Relations Representative. The following years saw Leif in various roles within the company that he had admired since a child in Sweden, with the family moving to Englewood, CO in 1983 and to Sterling, VA in 1988. In 1993, Leif became a naturalized citizen. Bonnie and Leif returned to Colorado in 1997 and settled in Longmont upon his retirement as Regional Vice President for Volvo. The retirement years were spent working with the International School Project and trips with Bonnie to support and visit teachers in Russia and Ukraine (2000-2008). In 2006, he began contributing witty and thoughtful articles to the Longmont Times-Call, as he loved writing, being a self-proclaimed “word nerd”.

Leif led an abundantly full and meaningful life. He fulfilled lifelong dreams and influenced countless people with his compassion and wisdom. He loved the Lord, his wife, children and grandchildren, sailing, trains, golf, driving the “blue” highways, mom and pop diners, taking pictures of unique small-town post offices, restoring an old Volvo, cross-country skiing, traveling and camping. He loved telling dad jokes in 2 languages, the old west and Johnny Cash. He leaves behind a rich legacy as beloved family patriarch, our guide and voice of wisdom.

Leif is survived by his wife Bonnie, daughter Melinda Thornberry (Ty) with grandchildren Emma and Ian, son Tom Bilen (Molly) with granddaughter Mia, and son-in-law Neal Downey with grandchildren Jake and Luke. He is preceded in death by his daughter Katrina Mai Downey and grandson Evan Leif Bilen.

A memorial service will be held at 11:00am Saturday, October 19, 2024 at Grace Evangelical Free Church in Longmont. Cremation entrusted to Ahlberg Funeral Chapel and Crematory. In lieu of flowers, memorial contributions may be made to St. Jude Children’s Hospital or Samaritan’s Purse. Visit www.ahlbergfuneralchapel.com to share condolences.

Please see https://sites.google.com/view/leif-arne-bilen-ltc-articles for a list of articles with links to all the columns Leif wrote for the Longmont Times-Call from 2014 to 2020.