Former City Commissioner Bob Leikam dies at 86
BY TIM STANLEY World Staff Writer
Wednesday, February 27, 2013
2/27/13 at 3:21 AM
When he was elected to Tulsa's City Commission in 1958, Bob Leikam was part of a heralded youth movement in city government.
Leikam was elected the water commissioner at age 31 in the same election that saw James Maxwell, also 31, become the youngest mayor in Tulsa's history.
It was all fine with Leikam, who never had been one to let his lack of years get in the way.
In his 20s, just a few years out of the University of Tulsa, he founded his own executive search firm, Tulsa Personnel Service.
Age was no problem there, either; Leikam helped countless young Tulsans find jobs.
"I don't know how many times, years later, we'd be dancing at the Petroleum Club and some old-timer would come up and tell Bob, 'You got me my first real job,' " his wife, JoAnne Leikam, said.
"It always made him so happy to hear that."
Robert "Bob" Leikam died Feb. 20. He was 86. A service was held Tuesday at First Presbyterian Church under the direction of Moore's Rosewood Funeral Home.
The lone Republican on the City Commission at the time, Leikam oversaw the city's water, sewer and trash departments.
Credited with helping streamline those departments and improve customer relations, he served from 1958 to 1960 and did not seek re-election, focusing instead on building his employment business.
He sold his personnel firm in the 1970s and went into real-estate investment full time.
A Tulsa native, Leikam graduated from Will Rogers High School, where he was a star baseball player.
He played baseball for Oklahoma Baptist University before going on to complete a political science degree at the University of Tulsa.
Leikam donated a lot of his time and experience to charity, much of it through his church.
A longtime member of First Baptist Church, he served on many finance and building committees through the years and spearheaded a Baptist Children's Home capital campaign.
He was also active with the Summit Club, of which he was a charter member, the Petroleum Club and the Tulsa Men's Club.
Survivors include his wife, JoAnne Leikam; three children, Robbie McCracken, Kip Leikam and Lisa Bullock; two stepchildren, Jade Graham and Frederick Latimer; four grandchildren; and two step-grandchildren.
Original Print Headline: Former city commissioner dies at 86
Tim Stanley 918-581-8385
tim.stanley@tulsaworld.com
Associated Images:
Bob Leikam: He was elected the city's water commissioner at age 31 during the same election that saw James Maxwell, also 31, become the youngest mayor in Tulsa's history.In his 20s, just a few years out of the University of Tulsa, he had founded his own executive search firm, Tulsa Personnel Service
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