Charles Engblad Lehman
Charles Engblad Lehman, 87, of Llano died at home April 9, 2011. He was born on Jan. 15, 1924.
After graduating from Ball High School in his hometown of Galveston at 16, he enrolled in Texas A&M University. During his senior year of college, he was called to active duty by the Army. While completing his officer training in El Paso in 1944, he met a young Army nurse named Buena “Mac” McQueen.
Three weeks after they met, they were married. A few days after their marriage, both received orders to ship out to Europe, where they served until the end of World War II. Despite their brief courtship, the marriage lasted 62 years until his wife died in 2007.
After the couple returned from the war, he finished his college courses, graduated from Texas A&M with a degree in accounting and went to work for Sears, Roebuck & Co. in Houston.
He began as a traveling auditor for Sears in South Texas. He was promoted to the home office of the company in Chicago in 1958 to be a part of the team overseeing construction of the Sears Tower.
He was later instrumental in guiding Sears into the age of computers.
His wife gave up her nursing career to raise their two daughters and make a home for their family through many job-related relocations. They made many lifelong friends during his professional career in Harlingen, Beaumont, Dallas and Chicago.
They retired at Sun City before moving to Llano in 2006 to be closer to their daughters.
Like so many of his generation, he grew up during the Great Depression, came of age during World War II and returned from the war to live a humble life of honor, service and love of family and country.
He attended First Baptist Church in Llano where he made many caring friends who greatly enriched his life. He was a dedicated fan of the educational programs and the Llano County Library.
Survivors include daughters Sheri Lehman of Llano, and Jodi and husband Jim Babcock of Horseshoe Bay; and special friend and second love of his life, Claudine Weber of Llano.
A funeral service is 2 p.m. April 12 at the Waldrop-Hatfield-Hawthorne Funeral Home Chapel, 307 E. Sandstone in Llano, (325) 247-4300 with the Rev. Rick Cundieff officiating. Burial will follow at the Llano City Cemetery.
In lieu of flowers, memorial contributions may be made in his honor to the Llano County Library, 102 W. Haynie, Llano, TX 78643.
E-mail condolences may be sent to whhfuneral1@verizon.net or visit www.whhfuneralhome.com for online condolences.