Kenneth Alan Leiplein, known to most as Ken, was born in San Gabriael California on July 30, 1956 and entered into the presence of his Lord and Savior Jesus Christ on August 17, 2024. His beloved wife Trish at his bedside.
Ken was preceded in death by his parents, Clyde Arthur Leiplein and Clara Juannita Parkinson and his grandmother Nettie Burger Leiplein. He is survived by his wife of 43 years, Patricia Jane Leiplein (Trish), their son, Christopher Arthur Leiplein, their daughter, Rebekah Sarah Leiplein. Chris’ wife Lisa, and their daughter Clara, Ken was proud to be called Poppa.
Ken was a very ambitious child, he was suspended from the school district in the 2nd grade and ended up spending 4 years in the Pasadena Children’s Training Society, during his time there he attended Sunday school and made a profession of faith in Jesus Christ. He also sang boy soprano in the Pasadena Children’s Choir. In the 6th grade he moved to Paradise, California with his father Clyde and stepmother Henrietta. He said by the time that he moved to Paradise, CA, “I was proud to be a good boy!”. He spent the next years playing in the woods, riding his bike, spending time with friends, learning to ride a motorcycle and he started the lifelong trait of working hard. By age 13 he worked for multiple older couples by raking pine needles, washing windows and general yard maintenance. At 16 he started working as a dishwasher at McHenry’s Restaurant. He went to work as scab laborer at CE Building Products during a labor strike, making $1.20 an hour. The managers like his work ethic so much that he was able to retain his job after the strike. At the age of 17 he enlisted in the US Navy on delayed entry, a few months later he had a motorcycle accident and ruptured a muscle in his left leg. The doctor said he would not be able to walk without a pronounced limp and he would not be able to pass the physical for his military service. Ken decided to prove the doctor wrong and started a severe physical therapy program, because he was GOING into the Navy. Ken served in the United States Navy as a machinist on the USS Durham, from 1975 to 1980. During boot camp he was the assistant to the Chaplin.
At Christmastime in 1977 he was on leave visiting his parents in Paradise, and on Christmas morning he met his future wife Trish Clements. Ken and Trish married on June 20, 1981. Their son Chris joined the family in June 1984 and 15 ½ years later Rebekah came along in January 2001.
Over the years, Ken worked for Sierra Pacific Lumber Mill in Chico CA, Byron Jackson Pump as a machinist in Chico CA, there was a big lay off in 1982, and Ken worked multiple jobs working hard to support his family. Ken got a job at a lumber supply company and when he came home he proudly announced his new job title of, Grunt. He moved his family from Paradise CA in 1986 looking for better work opportunities. From 1986 to 1997 Ken sold cars, life insurance, worked at Radio Shack, cleaned carpets and ran a CNC machine at Logan Smith Machine Shop, then after a severe health scare and lengthy hospital stay in 1997, Ken became a self-employed handyman.
In 1993 two very specific events happened that changed the direction of the Leiplein Family. The opportunity to place Chris in a brand new Christian school and a “chance” meeting with a friend who was starting a new church. Cornerstone Christian School (CCS) was opened by Craig Garbe and Christian Family Fellowship (CFF) was started by Steve Wadleigh. Both Craig and Steve spoke a truth into Ken’s life “God is in control of all things, the good and the bad”. Learning about the sovereign hand of God changed how Ken viewed life.
Ken worked as volunteer and paid handyman at CCS and was a deacon during the repair of the Oddfellow Hall in Lincoln for CFC. One memorable experience at CFC was working to rid the building of bats. When CFC closed, Ken moved his family to Foothill Bible Church (FBC) on Virginiatown Road in Lincoln. It was not long before Ken and Trish became members, and Ken was asked to become a deacon. Ken enjoyed and loved serving the Lord by serving the people and building of FBC. His ministries at Foothill Bible Church included running the sound for services and special occasions, preparing cassette tapes and CD’s for the homebound folks of FBC. He worked with the drama team as the sound and lights person, mowed lawns for the widows and homebound folks, he served on the board and did most of the repairs on the church building from 1997 to 2009. When FBC moved to the Flocchini Circle property he was involved with the initial planning of the building. At CCS he was the hospitality chairman and President of the Parent Teacher Fellowship. He got the job of hospitality chairman job by being the only one who had a long enough extension cord to plug in the coffee pot for meetings. He repaired locks, walls, toilets, desks, hung bulletin boards and did anything else that was necessary. When FBC moved to the Flocchini Circle building he worked with the team to set up the initial sound system.
Ken served on the initial Parent Teacher Fellowship Board at CCS. He was in charge of the repairs and scheduling of the annual school work day for many years. On almost any day you could find Ken around school, fixing everything from sprinklers, to broken toilets, broken locks, desks, and sagging doors. On one occasion while working in the building during a school day, he discovered a crossed wires that was shorting out, and stopped an electrical fire.
Ken also had a gift for making friends and serving in the neighborhood, when his garage door at home was open you could find him puttering around, helping neighbors with repairs, fixing flat bicycle times, at least twice there were others vehicles in the garage as he help rebuild the engines. More than once, Trish would come home and find Ken playing chess and feeding a homeless neighbor in the back yard.
Ken lived his faith, he would share the Gospel in stories, feed a hungry person, take clothing from his own closet to share with someone in need. If he saw someone on the side of the road with a broken-down car, he would stop, give a ride, or try and repair the problem.
Ken had been ill for many years with Parkinson's Disease, then other health problems started to arise, but he did not let that stop him, when he was unable to do the work himself, you could find him in a chair talking his son or daughter, friend, a student from CCS or a neighbor through the steps to complete a repair.
Ken loved his God, his family, and the extend family at church and school. He will be missed.
In lieu of flowers the family asks you to consider making a donation in memory of Ken to Cornerstone Christian School or Foothill Bible Church Lincoln.
• Cornerstone Christian School, 5073 Andrea Blvd. Sacramento CA 95842
• Foothill Bible Church, PO Box 236, Lincoln CA 95648
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