Bill Van Steenwyk
01-01-2014, 05:50 PM
As many know who followed PRO racing in the mid to late 60's, all of the 70's and most of the 80's, Stanley Leavendusky Jr. (AKA Butch) was a fierce competitor in C Service Hydro and Runabout and also C Racing Runabout. He also was multiple time National (APBA) Champion and World (NOA) in C Service Hydro and National Champ (APBA) in C Racing Runabout.
He followed his father Stanley Leavendusky Sr. with the APBA Championship in C Racing Runabout. Both won these Championships with Desilva Runabouts, but Stan Sr. used a Johnson PR while Butch used a 500CC Konig.
For the last 12 years or so Butch has has multiple health problems, starting with several heart bypass surgeries, 2 strokes, a fall in which he suffered a rotator cuff injury last spring and most recently underwent a 36 day (which was supposed to be 7-10) hospital stay for an esophageal tumor surgery which was complicated by his previous problems. It was touch and go several times during the hospital stay keeping his BP regulated. He was finally discharged from the hospital after 36 days on Christmas Eve day. which as he told me was about the best Christmas present he could get.
Butch is mostly a private person, and has not attended many boat races since his retirement from driving, except for the two DePue reunions where he enjoyed the company and conversation of his friends and competitors from his racing days. Hopefully we can encourage him enough to stay around for the next one.
For those friends, and also the many folks who enjoyed seeing him perform on the race course, I would like to suggest and encourage either a call or card, or both, to help in his recovery. As most of you can imagine he is pretty weak at present from the ordeal, and also suffers from a genetic disposition which also affected Stan Sr. at times, namely a little crankiness, but I know he would appreciate hearing from old friends to encourage him in his recovery. I will list his address and number below, but suggest if you want to call him do it between the hours of 7:30AM and 7:30PM
as he goes to bed fairly early these days for reasons which I am sure you can imagine.
Address and phone number are as follows:
Stan Leavendusky Jr.
15500 Dusky Lane
Alexander, Ar. 720002
1-501-580-7823
He followed his father Stanley Leavendusky Sr. with the APBA Championship in C Racing Runabout. Both won these Championships with Desilva Runabouts, but Stan Sr. used a Johnson PR while Butch used a 500CC Konig.
For the last 12 years or so Butch has has multiple health problems, starting with several heart bypass surgeries, 2 strokes, a fall in which he suffered a rotator cuff injury last spring and most recently underwent a 36 day (which was supposed to be 7-10) hospital stay for an esophageal tumor surgery which was complicated by his previous problems. It was touch and go several times during the hospital stay keeping his BP regulated. He was finally discharged from the hospital after 36 days on Christmas Eve day. which as he told me was about the best Christmas present he could get.
Butch is mostly a private person, and has not attended many boat races since his retirement from driving, except for the two DePue reunions where he enjoyed the company and conversation of his friends and competitors from his racing days. Hopefully we can encourage him enough to stay around for the next one.
For those friends, and also the many folks who enjoyed seeing him perform on the race course, I would like to suggest and encourage either a call or card, or both, to help in his recovery. As most of you can imagine he is pretty weak at present from the ordeal, and also suffers from a genetic disposition which also affected Stan Sr. at times, namely a little crankiness, but I know he would appreciate hearing from old friends to encourage him in his recovery. I will list his address and number below, but suggest if you want to call him do it between the hours of 7:30AM and 7:30PM
as he goes to bed fairly early these days for reasons which I am sure you can imagine.
Address and phone number are as follows:
Stan Leavendusky Jr.
15500 Dusky Lane
Alexander, Ar. 720002
1-501-580-7823