Leslie passed from this life on June 20, 2014, at the age of 90. Leslie David Todd was born on March 26, 1924, in the Calumet area, Canadian County, Oklahoma, to Evert and Marie Thompson Todd.

He attended Calumet schools and later transferred to El Reno High School to pursue classes in music, his passion in his early years.

He played for many school and dance venues and political campaigns. After graduation in 1942, he headed west to Los Angeles to work at Douglas Aircraft to help the war effort. While there, he studied music with a specialist of the accordion.

In August 1943, he joined the Army and was assigned to the Medical Corps and served in Fort Sill; Okmulgee, Oklahoma; and Hot Springs, Arkansas. He was also active in a military dance band called the "Glensons."

In September of 1944, Leslie was honorably discharged due to hardship caused by his father's failing health. He returned to the farm where he was born and assisted his parents with the farm until his father's death in 1946.

Leslie married the love of his life, Ysetta Velta Statton, on June 22, 1947. They have been married nearly 67 years. They settled on the home place where he was born. He took over the farming, but they quickly learned that they needed a supplement to their income. With the help and encouragement of his wife, they began new ventures that flourished at an astounding rate.

Mr. Todd founded Calumet "Y" Farm Store in 1951, which later transformed into Calumet Industries Inc., a family-owned business that grew to service not only his community's agricultural needs but became one of the top 100 dealers in the U.S. for fertilizer and chemical retail and wholesale sales.

At his peak in agribusiness, he had storage for over five million bushels for wheat and five agricultural locations in Canadian County, Calumet "Y" Farm Store, Calumet Farm Service Center, Todd's of Geary, Geary Fertilizer Plant, and Todd's and Fee's of El Reno. His company also was a supplier and fabricator of underground mining supplies for major companies across the United States, counting Homestake, United Nuclear and Kerr-McGee as loyal customers.

His favorite business endeavor was in the purchase and recycling of government surplus. He enjoyed finding new uses for military cast-offs, turning shipping containers into the most durable of feeders and storm shelters, and eventually, purchasing military surplus landing mats in a quantity to become the major dealer in the U.S. and enjoying sales overseas to many countries, again having an impressive customer list from governments as diverse as Israel, Columbia, and Australia, U.S. ranchers and farmers to Time Warner and HBO. This was quite a man.

He was devoted to his family and represented the best of his era. He will be missed and has left his family a legacy for those that will follow of honesty, integrity, and the American dream. Did we mention his sense of humor and quick wit. Ask anyone who knew L.D., Bob Hope and Johnny Carson had nothing on him. And he had to come up with his own material, which was always accomplished in a nanosecond.

Those left to celebrate his life are his wife, Ysetta V. Todd; two daughters, Connie Todd, of Yukon; and Christy Fees and husband Roger, of Calumet area. He is also survived by five grandchildren, Todd Clark and wife Shelley, of Oklahoma City; Jade Clark and wife Wendy, of Yukon; Maurica Marie Clark, of Yukon; Desiree Walling and husband Bryan, of Calumet; and Larry Fees and wife Tesa, of El Reno; great-grandchildren, including Paige Clark, Katie Clark, Alysse Clark, and Sage Clark; Livia Fees, Dylan Walling, David Walling, Austin Miller, Justin Miller, and Cash Leno; and his pet parrot, Cal II.

Leslie was preceded in death by his parents, Evert and Marie Todd; grandson, Shea Fees; sister, Betty Bomhoff; brother, Gene Todd; brother, Phil Todd; and infant brother, Billy Bob Todd.

Funeral Services will be at 2 p.m. at the Red Rock United Methodist Church, Calumet, OK, Thursday, June 26, 2014. Viewing is at Wilson Funeral Home in El Reno, OK. Services are under the direction of Wilson Funeral Home, El Reno, OK.

Published in The Oklahoman on June 24, 2014