Dear Doug,
My dad just let me know of your loss.  Wow, both parents are gone.  I am so sorry.  Praying you find comfort in your memories of them.  They were always so kind to me.  Shalom to you, Linda

Lehman Family,
I remember Harold very well.  I never felt comfortable calling him Lem.  I met him in 1964 when I started my Apprenticeship at GE.  He was my father's age and kids my age didn't address elders by nicknames.  He was my supervisor/teacher in 1965 when I was learning how to run a lathe.  I worked for him again in the late 70's and early 80's when I ran a boring mill and EDM.  I remember him being stern, fair and very patient.  He had to have a lot of patience with guys like me were trying to become toolmakers and didn't know anything about running machine tools.  I reconnected with him more recently at the Apprentice Alumni dinners.  He remembered me, and of course, I remembered him.  My condolences on your loss.  I'm sorry I missed telling you this in person, we were out of town late last week.

Harold “Lem” and Doris were friends with my parents, Jim & Helen Mattes for as long as I can remember. Jim and Harold were both Navy men so had a common bond forged during the war. GE in those days had so many great people in their employ. Many talented and brilliant craftsmen and engineers were proud to call GE their company.

I served several assignments in building 19 with Lem as my boss when I served my apprenticeship with GE 68-72. I graduated to an assignment on 19-4 with Lem again as my boss. I remember him as being stern but fail. You did not mess around when he was around.

I had two work accidents with Harold as the boss. One was a broken tool that lodged in my safety glasses while operating a boring mill. That earned me a “Wise Owl” award and Harold and I were both invited to a dinner at the FT Wayne chamber of commerce for the presentation. The second was a crush injury as I had mishandled a large cast iron die bolster. The pinch nearly severed my left index finger as the unit weighed nearly 1,600#. Two of my coworkers had rushed me to the dispensary and I can still see Lem’s face as he came around the corner and into the exam room, as white as a sheet. He was genuinely concerned that I was seriously hurt. That was in 1979 or 1980.

I attended my first Indy 500 in 1963 or 1964. I was too young so thought my father but I was able to get him to change his mind, something I could very rarely do. We went in Dorwin Stanley’s 1960 Buick Roadmaster convertible. Besides Dorwin “Stan” were Jim Mattes, Lem, Clem Gibson and young Wally Mattes. We went on two lane roads and I remember the men stopping to have a beer at sunrise in a roadside park near Huntington. We really had a fun day.

Lem was a very faithful member of the GE Apprentice Alumni Association and rarely missed a meeting while his health was good. When Doris passed away we didn’t see Lem much. They were still very much in love and he really missed her.

Please accept my condolences for your loss today. I did not see a notice in time to make arrangements to go calling.

We are again very sorry again for your loss.

Walter & Jyl Mattes

Doug and Joni,  I can't tell you how happy Barb and I are that we were able to meet and spend and evening with Lem just a short time ago.  His sense of humor was amazing, and he was just a sharp as ever.  I'm sure Lem is in a much better place now. I'm so glad we got to cross paths with him before he moved on to better things.   Keep your chins high, and keep on smiling each time you think of Lem.
Stuart & Barb Jewett
Van Wert, Ohio

Doug & Amy:  My thoughts and prayers go out to you and your families.  Uncle Lem has always been a part of my life as well and he will be missed.  Hold on to the memories. Love, Laurie Blevins

OBITUARY

Harold N. Lehman

August 12, 1922 – October 2, 2011

Klaehn, Fahl & Melton Funeral Home

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