Wayne Leslie Lehto Captain, United States Army |
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April 11, 1943 - January 25, 2006 Durham, North Carolina Visitation: 7-9 p.m. January 28, 2006 at Hudson Funeral Home, Durham Funeral Service: 3:00 p.m. January 29, 2006 at Bayleaf Baptist Church, Raleigh North Carolina Graveside Service: 3:00 p.m. February 22, 2006 at Arlington National Cemetery Interment: Arlington National Cemetery He is survived by his wife, Dianna Whalen Lehto,
of Durham; one son, Wayne Leslie Lehto, Jr. and wife, Heather, of Raleigh;
three daughters, Sandra Dee Lehto, of Benson, Stephanie Lehto Strowd and
husband, Gregory, of Chapel Hill and Janae Michelle Lehto and husband,
Michael Jackan, of Mebane; five brothers, Gene, Dale, Neil, Russell
and Randy Lehto; six sisters, Lois Hipp, Linda Graham, Janice Vaughn, Lavada
Seibert, Janelle Drapesa and Peggy Clements and six grandchildren, Anna-Stuart
Lehto, Emmi Lehto, Wayne L. Lehto III, Ethan Strowd, Jackson Strowd and
Alexander
Captain Lehto was a born in Butte, Montana to the late Eli Everette Lehto and Verna Day Lehto. He had lived in Durham since 1974. Mr. Lehto was a veteran of the United States Army, serving 2 tours during the Vietnam War. He obtained the rank of Captain and was awarded a Silver Star and the Distinguished Flying Cross. He retired from American Tobacco Company. He was a very skilled handyman, a helicopter pilot and had also worked at Durham Land Trust after retirement. He was active with the Vietnam Helicopter Pilots Association. Mr. Lehto was of the Christian faith. In lieu of flowers memorial gifts can be made
to any local Veterans Organization of choice or The Carcinoid Cancer
Foundation, Inc.,333 Mamaroneck Avenue, #492,White Plains, New York
10605.
Courtesy of Wayne L. Lehto, Jr.: June 2006 Wayne L. Lehto of Durham, North Carolina, passed away January 25,m 2006, after a six year running gun battle with cancer. Wayne served two tours in Vietnam, the firstas an Infantry Officer and the second as a Cobra pilot in the 361st ACE/AWC "Pink Panthers" from 5/70 to 5/71. Wayne was an outstanding officer and excellent
pilot, hard nosed and gruff, but always a mentor to the younger
His Awards and Decorations include a Silver Star, a Distinguished Flying Cross, numerous awards of the Air Medal and all the " I Been There " medals. Wayne attended Flight Class 69-42. He had hoped for a Chinook transition out of flight school but received a Snake transition instead. He never tired of telling his fellow Panthers and all his friends it was the best thing that ever happened in his military career. Wayne attended his first VHPA reunion in DC
in 2000. He was hesitant to come at first but thoroughly enjoyed seeing
his old friends and making new ones. He joined VHPA shortly after the reunion
and was a regular till his health
He is survived by his wife, Dianna ( Dee ), a son, Wayne JR and his wife, daughters Sandra, Stephanie and Janae and their husbands, six grand children, five brothers and six sisters. Wayne will be buried in Arlington National
Cemetery on February 22nd with full military honors. He was a warrior extraordinaire.
DATE OF BIRTH: 04/11/1943 DATE OF DEATH: 01/25/2006 BURIED AT: SECTION 8-H ROW 24 SITE 2 ARLINGTON NATIONAL CEMETERY Posted: 4 June 2006 |
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