Leslie Lock Obituary

Leslie Roy Lock, Roy's time on earth ended the night of July 25th, more than 94 years after his birth in Bristol, England in early July 1916. The only son of Fredrick and Emily Palmer Lock, he was raised with his three sisters, Kathleen, Gwen, and Phyllis, all of whom preceded him in death. The family immigrated to the United States in 1919 and shortly thereafter settled in Glen Ellyn, Illinois. Roy was raised in a two bedroom home with no plumbing, a house that had been purchased from a Sears & Roebuck catalog. During his years at Glenbard High School, he played football, formed a band named the Night Owls with several friends, was active in the Boy Scouts, and worked a variety of jobs to help the family meet the economic challenges of the Great Depression. One of those jobs was as a caddy at the Glen Oak Country Club, a job that enabled him to learn to play golf, a game for which he developed an enduring passion. On Roy's first round as a caddy, he carried the bag of club pro, "Lighthorse" Harry Cooper, one of the top pros at the time on the PGA tour. He must have carefully observed the pro for he learned lessons that enabled him to become an accomplished golfer who would claim that he left this life tied for the family golf title based upon his performance the final time he played the game in late April. Unable to afford the cost of college, Roy gave up his dream of becoming an engineer. He obtained an entry level job at Sunbeam Corporation through a connection from his scouting activities. As a committed life-long learner, he enrolled in evening classes at the Walton School of Commerce and gained the knowledge necessary to successfully pass the exams required to become a Certified Public Accountant. His skills, coupled with hard work, enabled him to eventually become Controller of the company and a member of the Sunbeam Board of Directors. Upon his retirement at age 65, Roy and three close associates purchased the Seco/Warwick Industrial Furnace Division from Sunbeam and successfully managed that organization as an independent company until its eventual sale in 1987. Roy married his high school sweetheart, Marjorie McConnell, in 1938 and together they raised four children, all of whom survive, Terry (Lynne), Ken (Susan), Sharon Christopher (Harold), and Bill (Sally). A fifth child, David Lee, died within days of his birth. Following Marge's death in 1981, Roy married Arlene McPherson Belanger in 1983 and became step father to her four children, Lynne Lock (Terry), Robert (Joan), James (Ellen), and Joy Belanger, all of whom survive. Also surviving are seventeen grandchildren/step grandchildren and seventeen great grandchildren / step great grandchildren. In 1961 the Lock family hosted an AFS exchange student and Roy always maintained contact with that "son", Dr. Miguel Nadal of Valencia, Spain. Roy, a devout Christian, was actively involved as a Sunday school teacher, board member, and committee member of the several churches he joined during his lifetime, most notably at Grace Lutheran Church in Glen Ellyn. His civic activities included delivering meals for Loaves and Fishes until age 90, scouting leadership when his sons were scouts, and involvement with community and industry organizations. Following Arlene's death in 2006, Roy moved from the Chicago area after having been an Illinois resident for 87 years. He spent time with son Ken Lock's family in South Carolina, before completing his life's journey with daughter Sharon Christopher's family in Mena, Arkansas. Sharon and all members of her family provided loving care and support to Roy in his final months. Remembrances may be sent in Roy Lock's name to the American Red Cross. The family will receive friends at the Leonard Memorial Home, 565 Duane Street in Glen Ellyn from 4:00PM to 8:00PM on Monday, August 2nd. A memorial service will be held at 12 Noon on Tuesday, August 3rd at Grace Lutheran Church in Glen Ellyn.