August 9, 2014
REST IN PEACE
COMMANDER EDWARD LEIS (CHC) US Navy (Ret.) Commander Edward Leis, 83, (CHC) US Navy (Ret), of Fairfax Station, VA, devoted husband of LTCol Joan Hammond, passed on August 9, 2014 at Fairfax Hospital. Ed was born July 30, 1931 to Joseph Leis and Francis Graf in Louisville, KY. Ed was educated at Franciscan Seminary, ordained a priest February 23, 1958 and served various parishes in the US. Father Edward Leis joined the Navy in 1970 and served 23 years as a Navy Chaplain. While on active duty, he had tours of duty in Newport, RI, Guantanamo Bay, Cuba, Bethes- da, MD, Portsmouth, VA, Camp Lejeune, New River, NC and two tours in Okinawa, Japan, to name a few. Ed was with the 6th Marines when the Beirut Embassy was bombed in 1983. He ministered to Marines, Sailors and State Department employees who were there and also accompanied the injured to hospitals and the fallen back to Andrews Air Force Base. Ed received multiple unit and individual citations for his dedicated service to the Navy and the country he served. After retiring from the Navy, Ed served as a Chaplain at the DC VA Hospital and worked at a Salvation Army Shelter. He served his local community, among other things providing free funeral services for Service members and Veterans. Ed was active with Optimist International and served as the Capital Virginia District Chaplain for a number of years. In addition to his wife Joan, Ed is survived by his brother, Robert; sisters, Mary, Martha and Janie Leis of Louisville, KY. Friends may visit from 12 p.m. until the time of service at 1 pm on Saturday, August 23 at Fairfax Memorial Funeral Home, 9902 Braddock Rd. Fairfax, VA 22032. Refreshments will follow at the Army Navy Country Club, 3315 Old Lee Highway Fairfax, VA 22030. Interment with Full Military Honors will be held at a later date at Arlington National Cemetery. In lieu of flowers, it is asked that donations be given to The Salvation Army, Department 6006, Washington DC 20042-6006Friends may visit from 12 p.m. until the time of service at 1 pm on Saturday, August 23 at Fairfax Memorial Funeral Home, 9902 Braddock Rd. Fairfax, VA 22032. Refreshments will follow at the Army Navy Country Club, 3315 Old Lee Highway Fairfax, VA 22030. Interment with Full Military Honors will be held at a later date at Arlington National Cemetery. In lieu of flowers, it is asked that donations be given to The Salvation Army, Department 6006, Washington DC 20042-6006
Ed was an active CORPUS member.
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Published in The Washington Post on Aug. 17, 2014.