Robert "Bob" Leininger

Robert “Bob” Leininger, 85, died peacefully at his home, on Thursday, March 17, 2022.

He was born in northwestern Ohio and was raised and educated there.  In Bob’s last years of high school his father, a pipe fitter and welder, bought a welding machine, set it up in their garage and taught Bob a trade skill he would pursue for the rest of his work life.

Two months before his 18th birthday Bob passed his first certification welding test for a pipeline contractor in Michigan and was off and running.

Bob was a member of Boilermakers Local 85, Toledo, OH until he became a member of the UA Pipe Trades Local 74, Geneva, NY.

In the 1960’s he came to Butte, MT to work on the building of the Anaconda copper concentrator and when that job was winding down, he called Plumbers and Pipe Fitters Local 139 Business Agent, Peter J. Gilligan and was told to come on up to Great Falls as he had work for the welder.  At is turned out, Bob liked it here and stayed. 

Because of lack of work in the area over the years, he would travel to other areas for temporary employment, some of these jobs were in places in Montana, such as Billings, Cut Bank, Havre and Glasgow.  He twice traveled to Detroit, MI to work on powerhouse construction.  In the 1970’s, because of a job slowdown in the area and a job opening at the local gas utility, he went to work for Great Falls Gas Co., later to become Energy West.  He retired from that job after 27 years and 44 years of working at the trade.  He was a trade union member all of his working life.  In the mid-sixties, he transferred into US Local 139, Great Falls, MT, later to be absorbed by UA Local 41, Butte, MT. 

Bob enjoyed fishing, hunting, riding motorcycles, traveling and working in his garden and yard.  One of his greatest pleasures in life was taking something that was given to him by someone because it would  not work, and making it work.

Bob is survived by his wife and loving caretaker, Virginia; daughter, Becky; six grandchildren; two brothers and a sister.

Bob’s parents, two daughters, Deborah “Brandy” and Kathleen “Kathy”; and a granddaughter, Rachel all preceded him in death.

Bob wants everyone to know, life was good, and he had a good time.

There will be no services as per Bob’s request. 

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