October 3, 2023
A Texan through and through, Leon B. was born in 1951 in Bastrop, TX. He served proudly in the Air Force for ten years in the early ’60s. He honed his skills as a mechanic, working on airplanes and military trucks. Returning to Bastrop to care for his aging parents, he met his lovely wife, Betty, who became his partner for 30 years. Leon was a truck driver for many years, traveling across the state--a job that took a toll on his back. Later in life, he took a job with the City of Austin, also working as a mechanic. Unfortunately, due to exposure to chemicals on site, Leon developed asthma and had no choice but to retire.
Leon was always good at building and repairing, so it was no surprise that he built his own family home from the ground up in Elgin, TX in the mid-nineties. According to his son Joseph, it’s a sprawling home that needed upkeep. Something that Leon had trouble with after several heart attacks and a bout with cancer. The house needed significant work, and Joseph set out to find resources for his father. “I had a mission to make that house comfortable for my father,” he stated.
Joseph found the Meals on Wheels Central Texas Home Repair program and immediately signed his father up. In no time, construction teams were on-site working to make vital upgrades around the property. Thanks to the generous funding from the Home Depot Foundation, Leon’s home got a brand new roof, a raised foundation, and two new porches in the front and back of his home--affording Leon a great spot to visit with his family and get outside.