Lee Winfred Leuchter

December 22, 1953 - April 13, 2026

Lee Winfred Leuchter, 72, known to his family and friends as Fred, passed away peacefully at home on April 13, 2026, in Greeley, Colorado.

He was born December 22, 1953 in Newark, Ohio to Rosemary Forsyth Leuchter and Heinrich Joseph Leuchter.

Fred grew up in Columbus, Ohio, where he attended Upper Arlington High School. During his high school years he painted apartments, worked for a car dealership, and was an avid cyclist. In his first year at Ohio State University, he was selected to play the trombone in the Ohio State Marching Band. In January 1973, he proudly marched in the Tournament of Roses Parade, the Rose Bowl Game and President Richard Nixon’s Inauguration Parade, milestone accomplishments that he never forgot.

When he moved to Greeley, Colorado in 1976, there were several friends from Ohio living in the area. This move helped form a bond that remains incredibly strong to this day. The way Fred prioritized his friendships as a young man continued throughout this life and was evidence to his character that friendships and personal connections are a vital part of life.

He first worked for R & R Service as a car mechanic and later worked at the Bike Peddler tuning and repairing bicycles, where his passion for cycling led him to participate in Ride the Rockies 1994 and also take cycling trips over Rabbit Ears Pass and Trail Ridge Road.

While attending the University of Northern Colorado, he met his wife, Gin Wells. They shared nearly 44 years of marriage and together they had two children. He was supportive of all their activities knowing the importance of being involved in karate, high school marching band and orchestra, Boy Scouts/Eagle Scout, and numerous camping trips. He attempted to give them the knowledge of how things work and how to fix them. One of Fred’s goals was to visit all the National Parks.

From an early age, Fred was truly gifted with the love of music which included a special interest in guitars. While studying Industrial Arts at the University of Northern Colorado, he developed a passion for fine woodworking, which ignited his interest in guitar building.

In 2007, he was able to take an intensive course in Massachusetts taught by the famous guitar builder, William Cumpaino, where he built his first guitar. Since that time, he has taken immense pride in carefully selecting and thoughtfully organizing an extensive collection of fine wood from around the world, with the aim of building beautiful guitars. He and his daughter built matching guitars in 2011.

He always enjoyed playing in the Greater Metropolitan Greeley Kiwanis Club Silver Cornet Concert Band and Marching Society, also known as the Red Shirt Band. There were two rules: they “never march” and they “never practice”. He played with the local band, Kream of the Krop for 30 years, starting on trombone then moving to his more comfortable instrument, the guitar. Along with his excellence in playing, he had a passion for collecting guitars and amplifiers as well as setting up a recording studio where he would use his exceptional skills to blend sounds.

Beyond his well-known musical talent, Fred will be remembered for his technical expertise. In the early years he repaired office equipment and later established his own IT company with the exceptional work ethic he demonstrated throughout his career. Because he was constantly expanding his knowledge to refine his skills and stay up to date in his field, Fred completed numerous computer courses, including the challenging Microsoft certification courses. He had a mechanical mind and could fix anything. His professional dedication was matched only by the kind and impactful way he worked with others to encourage them to do their best and to help them feel understood and inspired.

Fred’s willingness to generously share his skills and time has had a profound impact on the Greeley community. He will be deeply missed by his family, friends, the music community and numerous businesses.

Hoping he could help others, Fred donated his body to scientific research for further study of metastatic bladder cancer.

He is survived by his wife Virginia (Gin) W. Leuchter, two children, Keith Leuchter and Jane Leuchter, his sister, Johanna Leuchter (Candice Corrigan), and four grandchildren. Fred was preceded in death by his parents.

A celebration of his life will be announced at a future date.

In lieu of flowers, memorial contributions may be made to an organization of your choice.

Fred was a member of the marching band in 1972. He played Trombone.