Leon Pankau

Leon Joseph Pankau, 87, of Idaho Falls, passed away May 28, 2016, at his home. He was born June 5, 1928, in Ivesdale, Illinois, to Leo Edward Pankau and Josephine Clara Pankau. Leon became an Eagle Scout while growing up in Illinois, and later served for 4 years as a marine, being honorably discharged as a sergeant. After the service, he moved to Colorado, attended the Colorado School of Mines and Colorado College, and received a Bachelors of Science. He worked in a variety of jobs while in college. On December 28, 1955, he married Patricia Lee Sayre in Denver, Colorado. Leon was a geologist and worked for 10 years at DAI, then for 2 years as an independent, consulting photogeologist and structural geomorphologist. He joined Texaco in 1966, where he eventually rose to be exploration manager for Texaco's North Sea area. He lived the bulk of his career overseas, first working extensively throughout South America while being stationed in Trinidad and Tobago, and then in Angola, Africa, where he helped in the exploration and discovery of what would eventually become Angola's extensive deep water oil fields. He was forced to leave Angola at the onset of the civil war, worked from South Africa for two years, then moved to Belgium and eventually to London, where he worked to develop the North Sea oil fields. He worked for the Danish government after Texaco and then at a private Danish oil exploration firm until his retirement. He lived in Mallorca, Spain, until finally coming to Idaho Falls, where he remained until his passing. He loved boating, fishing, carpentry, and helped build a log home, as well as significant additions to his own home in retirement. He was also very active in genealogy. His active and varied life was finally slowed by Parkinson's. He was preceded in death by his parents and a sister, Mary Lois Campbell. He is survived by his wife, Patricia; and sons Brian Lee Pankau, Shaun (Li) Pankau and Michael Jude (Cathryn) Pankau. He had four grandchildren and one great granddaughter. Leon was an extremely vibrant and loving man and will be greatly missed by all of us. Graveside Services will be held Saturday, August 6, 2016, at Cache-Clawson Cemetery.

Graveside Services will be held