H. LeRoy de Boom

de Boom, H. LeRoy October 26, 1934 - March 12, 2014 H. LeRoy de Boom long time resident of St. Louis Park passed away at the age of 79 March 12, 2014 from complications of Polio that he contacted in 1952. LeRoy graduated from St. Louis Park High School in 1952 and had accepted a full scholarship to Harvard University, but was made a quadriplegic by Polio in August 1952. He was paralyzed from the neck down and spent 22 months in an Iron Lung at General Hospital-Sister Kinney Institute in Minneapolis and had been on a respirator since then. He was cared for by his parents, Verna and Henry de Boom until they passed away (1996 and 2000 respectively). He continued to live in the family home in St. Louis Park with the help of personal care aides including Elmer Schoen, Lynn Lakoduck, Davin Bartell, Miriam Baez, and David Blinderman until 2006 when he moved to the Benedictine Health Center in Minneapolis. With the help of his parents, LeRoy attended the University of Minnesota where he earned an AA degree in Accounting and set up a small accounting and tax practice in the family home. During his life, LeRoy was active in the St. Louis Park Jaycees, the Indoor Sports Club of Minneapolis, Disabled Citizens Club, Boy Scouts of America, and the Men's Club at Aldersgate United Methodist Church to name a few. LeRoy is survived by his brother James de Boom of Rancho Mirage, CA, sister-in-law Barbara de Boom; niece Stacy Lynne deBoom-Howard of Fountain Valley, CA and her husband Kyle and niece Jodi Anne Drysdale of Chico, CA and her husband Zach and four Grand Nieces & Nephews, Kaitlyn and Garrett Howard and Parker and Bailey Drysdale, plus dozens of Carlson and de Boom relatives. The family is deeply grateful to the staff at Benedictine and at Abbott Northwestern for the great care they have provided LeRoy over the years. LeRoy had gone through so much, lived much longer and led a fuller life than thought possible. He was strong, lived with spirit and tenacity and was an inspiration to many. In lieu of flowers, the family requests contributions be made in LeRoy's name to either Aldersgate United Methodist Church, 3801 Wooddale, St. Louis Park, MN 55416; Benedictine Health Center, 619 E. 17th Street, Minneapolis, MN 55404 or the Rotary Internationals Polio eradication program at endpolio now.org. His memorial service will be held at Aldersgate United Methodist Church, on Sunday, April 27, 2014 at 3 p.m. Arrangements by Cremation Society of MN (952) 924-4100.

Published on April 23, 2014