Gloria A. Leiker

Gloria Leiker, dedicated wife and mother, of Hays passed away on Jan. 4, 2012, at Wesley Hospital in Wichita. She was 79.



Born to Isidore and Pauline (Miller) Brull on Sept. 23, 1932, in Hays, Gloria was raised on a family farm east of Munjor. She attended a one-room, rural grade school to the south before moving to Hays as a teenager with her sister. The girls lived with their Brull Grandparents and attended Hays High School, where Gloria graduated in 1950. As a student, she started as a nurse's aide at St. Anthony's Hospital. There Gloria met and cared for a patient named Gilbert Leiker in July 1949; he was instantly smitten with his caregiver. The couple married on Aug. 21, 1951, at St. Joseph's Catholic Church in Hays; Gloria carried red roses in her bouquet, so for the next 60 years, Gilbert delivered one dozen red roses to his wife annually in celebration of their anniversary.



A month after their wedding, Gilbert was drafted. The couple moved to Ft. Leonard Wood, Missouri, before Gilbert left for Korea in February 1952. When he arrived home 17 months later, Gloria welcomed her husband with the couple's nine-month-old, first-born son in her arms.



In 1961, Gloria and her husband started construction on their farm house south of Munjor. The couple and their three oldest boys left their Hays home nine months later and moved to the farm; Gloria raised six children and participated in 4-H activities with her family. As the children grew, Gloria was active in farm life, raising cattle and crops. She and Gilbert moved to Prairie Acres, rural Hays, in 1999 and continued helping occasionally at the family farm following their retirement.



Gloria was a kind and loving mother and grandmother. She always took the time to talk, read or teach the grandchildren. She loved and cared for each one deeply. Gloria enjoyed working on the family farm, raising cattle and crops. She loved traveling with Gib, yard work and gardening. She will be truly missed by all who knew and loved her. She was a dedicated member of St. Francis of Assisi Catholic Church, Munjor; St. Francis of Assisi Christian Mothers; Daughters of Isabella Circle 254, Eucharistic Perpetual Adorers and The American Historical Society of Germans from Russia - Sunflower Chapter.



Gloria is survived by husband, Gilbert Leiker of Hays; 3 sons, Dick (Cathy) of Richmond, Texas, Douglas (Mary) of Wichita, David (Claudia) of Hays; two daughters, Ann Leiker of Topeka and Mary (Rupert) Berrington of Aurora, Colorado; daughter-in-law, Mary (Daniel) Leiker of Lakewood, Colorado; 13 grandchildren Clayton (Pam) of Mulvane, Christin (Lance) Hammond and Curtis (Paige) of Richmond, Texas, Matthew (Janice) of Brighton, Colorado, Nicholas of Parker, Colorado, Brandon (Andrea) of Wichita, Amy and Michael of Wichita, Nathan (Jenalyn) of Hays, Alex and Jordan Leiker of Hays, and Elizabeth and Nicholas Berrington of Aurora, Colorado; and 13 great-grandchildren: Haley, Brody, Emily, Evan, Lillian, Ahnalyn, Rexton, Makailyn and Dominic Leiker, Austin and Madeleine Leiker-Walter, Ethan and Peyton Hammond. She is also survived by 4 sisters, Donna (Linus) Wasinger of Loveland, Colorado, Sheila (Warren) Zimmerman of Lakewood, Colorado, Patricia (Mark) Null of La Grange, Texas, and Paulette (John) Moser of Houston; and 3 brothers, Kenneth (Cheryl) Brull of Pierre, South Dakota, Allen (Karen) Brull of Victoria, and David (Lana) Brull of Hutchinson.



She is preceded in by death by parents, Isidore and Pauline (Miller) Brull of Hays; and a son, Daniel Leiker of Lakewood, Colorado.



Funeral Mass will be held at 10 a.m. Monday at St. Francis of Assisi Catholic Church in Munjor. Burial will follow immediately at St. Francis Cemetery in Munjor. Arrangements in care of Brock's North Hill Chapel - 2509 Vine - Hays, KS. 67601.



Visitation will be Sunday 4 to 8 p.m. and Monday 8:30 a.m. to 9:15 a.m. all at the funeral home



A Perpetual Eucharistic Adorers rosary service will be Sunday at 4 p.m., A combined Christian Mothers and Daughters of Isabella rosary service will be at 6 p.m. Sunday followed by a parish vigil service at 6:30 p.m. all at the funeral home.



Memorials are suggested to Thomas More Prep-Marian High School or St. Francis of Assisi Church and may be sent in care of the funeral home. Condolences may be sent to the family by guest book at www.keithleyfuneralchapels.com or emailed to keithley@ruraltel.net







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Service Information









Visitation Sunday

January 8, 2012

4:00 PM to 8:00 PM



2509 Vine Street

Hays, Kansas 67601













2509 Vine Street

Hays, Kansas 67601









Visitation Monday

January 9, 2012

8:45 AM to 9:15 AM



2509 Vine Street

Hays, Kansas 67601











St. Francis of Assisi

883 Moscow Street

Munjor, Kansas 67601