Leslie "Les" Niederklein

I was born on February 23, 1951, in Fairbury, Nebraska, to Willis and LaVona Niederklein. I grew up in the middle of six siblings, my older brother and sister, Lyle and Joyce, and my younger siblings Lloyd, Lonnie, Faye, and Monte. I attended parochial school through the eighth grade and graduated from Meridian High School in Tobias, Nebraska. I went on to attend the University of Nebraska in Lincoln, where I became a lifelong Cornhusker fan. Go Big Red!
My vivid memories truly began in 1960, when I lost my arm in a farm accident. In those days, they didn’t put the pieces back on, so you just moved forward in life, which is exactly what I did. Whenever people asked how I lost my arm, I always told them I knew exactly where it was: my grandpa buried it on the farm.
I was always active in sports, playing baseball as a young kid, and football and basketball in high school. In college, my best classes were bowling and tennis. When my daughter proudly told me she earned a 4.0 GPA one semester, I reminded her that it took me two semesters to achieve that!
I crossed paths with the best wife ever, my high school sweetheart, Joyce Cecrle, and we were fortunate to relocate to Idaho for work shortly after we were married. Together, we found incredible opportunities hunting, fishing, shooting, and golfing, and we never looked back. I made a lot of wonderful friends and shared many good times. I even managed to shoot a hole-in-one at the Boise Ranch Golf Course and birdied the famous floating green up in Coeur d'Alene, twice. I felt accomplished in almost every sport-with the exception of swimming.
We raised two great kids, Joel and Anna, who found wonderful spouses in Lindsay Tonkin and Jonathan Leatham. I was blessed with four beautiful grandkids: Kingston and Julienna Leatham, and Nora and Josie Niederklein. I loved watching them grow, and they are all heading in a great direction. My one regret is that I won’t be here to see them become adults.
This time, the Merkel won the battle—me and Jimmy Buffett.

Celebration of Life - Boise:  Sunday, November 1
Center at the Park
1920 N Records Way, Meridian, ID 83642
3 pm - 6 pm
In lieu of flowers, memorials can be made to Ronald McDonald House Idaho and Boise Rifle & Pistol Club

Celebration of Life - Daykin:  Sunday, November 15
American Legion Post
313 Jefferson St., Daykin, NE 68338
2 pm - 4 pm
In lieu of flowers, memorials can be made to Ronald McDonald House Idaho and Boise Rifle & Pistol Club