PAST BRENHAM CITY MANAGER LEONARD ADDICKS PASSES AWAY
Leonard E. Addicks, who served as the City Manager for the City of Brenham from 1984-1993, passed away peacefully Tuesday, December 1, 2015.
Visitation is scheduled for Friday, December 4th from 6:00 – 8:00 p.m. at the Brenham Memorial Chapel. A funeral ceremony is scheduled for 11:00 a.m. on Saturday, December 5th at St. Paul Lutheran Church in Brenham with a burial at Prairie Lea Cemetery.
Leonard Earl William Addicks was born at home on July 3, 1930 in the Salem Community near Brenham to John Henry and Clara Nordt Addicks. He was baptized on September 7, 1930 at Salem Lutheran Church by Pastor William Utesch, and confirmed at Salem Church on April 2, 1944 with Pastor Arthur Mohr.
Leonard started his schooling at the Salem Rural School, and graduated from Brenham High School in 1947 and Blinn Junior College in 1949. He received a Bachelor of Business Administration with Honors from the University of Texas at Austin in June, 1951
He was married to Josephine Weiss on June 23, 1951 at Salem Lutheran Church with her uncle, Pastor A. B. Weiss, officiating.
Leonard had a distinguished and varied business career, first working for the Peat, Marwick, Mitchell & Co. accounting firm in Houston, Texas, and Shreveport, Louisiana. He passed his Certified Public Accountant certification on July 26, 1956.
His next career assignment was as the Assistant to the Chief Accountant with Charles B. Wrightsman, one of the largest independent oil operators in the world. This assignment included learning the oil business as well as a number of interesting assignments including the first purchases of the Wrightsman fine arts collection, which is housed today in its’ own wing at the Metropolitan Museum of Arts in New York City.
At this time, Houston was one of the fastest growing cities in the United States, and Leonard next worked as the Associate Partner & Business Manager for Goleman Rolfe Architects. Goleman Rolfe designed and developed a number of architectural landmarks from this period including the Bush Intercontinental Airport.
His last career assignment in Houston was for Lloyd, Jones & Brewer Architects where he served as their Business Partner. This was a remarkable period of development with the firm designing the Greenway Plaza, the Summit, Allen Center, Allied Bank Plaza, and American General Center including the awarded American Tower, to name a few of their landmarks. He ‘retired’ from the firm at the age of 53, and moved to Brenham.
In 1983, Leonard became the Director of Finance for the City of Brenham and, a year later in 1984, he was promoted to City Manager. He served as City Manager for nearly 10 years and retired in 1993.
Leonard and Jo moved to Austin, Texas in 1993, where he did some consulting, and later returned to Brenham.
Leonard was active in the Lutheran Church his whole life. He served on the Church Councils and as President of the Congregation for Hope Lutheran, Houston, Texas, Faith Lutheran Church, Bellaire, Texas and St Paul’s Lutheran Church, Brenham, Texas. Leonard was a delegate for Gulf Coast Synod to three church-wide national conventions (1982 in San Diego, 1990 in Chicago and 1993 in Kansas City). Over the years, he served on numerous endowment boards and finance committees of various churches.
Leonard also served on the Boards of Lutheran Association of Southwest Camping Board and the Lutheran Social Services of the South. In Austin, he completed the coursework and became an active Stephen minister.
He was also an active Volunteer with the Rotary Club in Brenham and the Kiwanis Club in Austin where he used to read to children in the Head Start program and participated in a local program for the elderly. Leonard served on Travis County Grand Jury as a civic duty.
In Brenham, he has been a supporter of the Faith Mission and has participated in a number of Bible study groups.
Leonard was a Life-long Texas Longhorn fan. He loved Darrell Royal, attended many football and baseball games, including the last National Football Championship game in Los Angeles, California.
Leonard is survived by his wife of over 64 years, Josephine Weiss Addicks. She has been his partner and supporter in every aspect of his life. They have three children, Linda Addicks Hamer, Mark Addicks and Jeff Addicks and children in law, Sharon Addicks, John Hamer and Tom Hoch. He was extremely proud of his grandchildren including Nathan and Megan Kokemor, Joel and Shawn Kokemor, Jessica Addicks, Allison Addicks, Madison Addicks and John Addicks O’Toole, and his five great-grandchildren, Kole Kokemor, Emery Kokemor, Karsyn Kokemor, Amelia Kokemor and Knox Kokemor. He is also survived by his sister, Doris Mae and husband Clemence Weiss of Brenham, sisters in law, Verbie Weiss, Inez Weiss, and Madeleine and John Blasienz of Bryan, as well as cherished nieces and nephews.
Leonard’s pallbearers are Mark Addicks, Jeff Addicks, John Hamer, Tom Hoch, Nathan Kokemor, Joel Kokemor, John Addicks O’Toole and Clarance Smith. Honorary pallbearers are the Thursday Morning Men’s Bible Study Group.
His family requests that any memorials be directed to the St. Paul’s Lutheran Church renovation fund, Faith Mission and Hospice Brazos Valley, all in Brenham, Texas, and The Settlement Home for Children in Austin, Texas.