Henry Leroy Ley Jr.

Henry (Hank) Ley, 82, of Pierce, CO, was called home to be with the Lord on August 02, 2023. He was born on March 16, 1941, to Henry and Elma Ley, Sr. and was a devoted husband and father throughout his life.

Hank was born in Greeley, Colorado as the second of seven brothers and sisters. He is preceded in death by his loving daughter, Lori Lynn Ley; parents, Henry and Elma Ley; brothers, Larry (Vicki) Ley and Donald (Connie) Ley; sister, Juanita (Alan) Peters; and brother-in-law and nephew, Gary Campbell and Gary Campbell, Jr., and son-in-law, Jasper H. Davis III.

Hank is survived by his lifelong best friend and wife, Barbara Jean (Gesick) Ley; son, Lanny (Sheila) Ley; daughters Luann Ley Davis (Roger Perkins), and Leisa (Ryan) Ley-Rivette; two sisters Dorothy (Gary) Campbell Sr., and Kathy (Robert) Dilka, and brother Fred (Carol) Ley, and Connie (Donald-deceased) Ley. Hank was blessed with seven grandchildren: Casey (Jenna) Ley, Brittany (John) Olk, Breckin (Matt-deceased) Ezinga, Jessica (Brad) Lindenmayer, Keisha (Zach) Ley Keim, and Brianna (Axel Engel) Ley. Hank was so proud and considered himself blessed to have seven great-grandchildren: Zayden, Bridger, Lillian, Logan, Sophia, Mattie, and Olivia; with another due next January. He embraced his late brother Donald’s son Dallas (Jessica) Ley as his own as well as his grandchildren, including Abrehanna, Olivia, Carson, and Quentin. He also is survived by numerous brothers- and sisters-in-law, and numerous nieces and nephews.

Hank was raised on a farm in Weld County, went to elementary school in Eaton and Meeker and attended high school at Kersey High School (now Platte Valley HS). After leaving school to work on the family farm, Hank later returned as an adult to school to receive his diploma with the support of his wife Barbara and family. Hank met the love of his life when he was 17 in Gill, CO. After dating for two years, they married on February 25, 1961, and started a life together in the Kersey area. ** (children/Lori)

There, Hank managed the Platte Valley Co-Op for 5 years, when he was offered a position at P & A Turkey Farm managing the feed mill there while also maintaining a second job farming. Later, he was charged with managing the entire turkey farm and remained there for 42 years where he and Barbara raised their family. After retiring from the Turkey Farm, Hank lived out his dream of managing a cattle ranch with Barbara in Granite Canyon, Wyoming. Four years later, they retired again to Pierce, CO where he and Barbara went to work seasonally for the City of Greeley Parks Department for the past 12 years.

Hank was a devoted husband and father and he and Barbara were very involved in all their children’s activities throughout their school years. They were active members of the Platte Valley Bronco Boosters, where they volunteered and raised funds for their children’s sports, and they never missed a game or meet. Hank served on the FFA Board and founded the FFA Scholarship, and he and Barbara were later awarded the Blue and Gold Award and acknowledged as Honorary FFA Advisors. Hank had many hobbies and interests that connected him to people across the U.S. Hank had a passion for raising cattle and attending various livestock shows with his youngest daughter and grandchildren.

He loved the outdoors and spent every minute of free time he had camping, fishing, and hunting at Upper Cherokee Park with his family. He prided himself on teaching his children and grandchildren how to fish and hunt, often saying “give a man a fish, he eats for a day; teach a man to fish, he eats for a lifetime”.

Throughout his life, Hank had a deep enthusiasm for geology and rock collection that developed into his talent for crafting silver jewelry and was part of the Greeley Rock Club, and later enjoyed traveling to Craft Fairs with Barbara to sell the jewelry they made together.

Hank was a patriarch, a teacher, and a mentor to all around him. He exemplified what generosity, kindness, and unconditional love really is with a sense of humor that made it easy to love him.

A Memorial Celebration of Life will be held at 10:30 AM on Friday, August 11, 2023, at North Colorado Cowboy Church at 33131 HWY 85, Lucerne, CO, United States, Colorado.

Though Hank may no longer be with us, his humor, laughter, advice, and spirit will forever live on in our hearts. He will be deeply missed and lovingly remembered by all whose lives he touched.

“There are three things that remain- faith, hope, and love. And the greatest of these is love.” I Cor 13:13

Rest in eternal peace, dear husband, father, grandfather, brother, and friend. Your faith and love will continue to guide us until we meet again in the presence of our Heavenly Father.

While we mourn the loss of Hank's physical presence, we take comfort in knowing that he is now in the arms of our Lord and reunited with his loving daughter, Lori.