Class of 1949

1949 Maroon SpotlightLeland Konklin
Leland Konklin

Student Council ’46-’48; Home Room Vice-President ’48-’49.

1949 Graduation Edition
Perry Daily Journal

Leland Lawrence Konklin was vice president of his homeroom this year and was a member of the student council in his sophomore and junior years.

He was born March 3, 1931, in Three Sands, and now lives with his mother, who is a widow, at 810 Ivanhoe street.

Leland had attended schools at Stillwater, Tulsa, and Ponca City before starting at PHS. He says history has been his top subject in school and he likes to fish in his spare time.

Leland Lawrence Konklin

March 3, 1931 – March 9, 2003

Leland Konklin, 72, died March 9, 2003, after a long and difficult battle with Parkinson’s Disease.

Born at Three Sands, Oklahoma on March 3, 1931, he was the son of William Lawrence and Ethel Mae Sullins Konklin. Following his graduation from Perry high school in 1949, he was employed by the First National Bank in Perry.

In February, 1951 he enlisted in the air force for a four year term. He received basic training at Lackland air base, San Antonio, Texas, followed by a U. S. Air Force clerk-typist school at Pennsylvania State college. He was stationed for duty at Vance Air Force base at Enid, Oklahoma.

On May 9, 1953, Leland and fellow PHS alumna, Esther “Louise” Rollins, were married. They made their home in Perry where Leland was again employed by First National Bank and “Louise” worked at the telephone office. To this union two daughters were born. The couple divorced in 1976.

Leland continued gaining experience in his work at First National Bank, starting as a bookkeeper/teller and working his way up to assistant cashier, before moving to a Houston bank.

Notable for his honesty and personal integrity, Leland presided over banks as President/CEO in Houston, Austin, Tulsa, Lufkin, Frederickburg and Pago Pago American Samoa. With the FDIC, he traveled the US as a bank liquidator.

Although he loved travel, especially in the South Pacific, he said that the best part of his life was in raising his two girls.

Survivors include: his beloved daughters, Kathi and Julie; sister, Barbara; ex-wife, Louise; and extended family.

A memorial service will be held at the National VA cemetery Mon. March 24, 2003 at 11:45am.