Leo Hrdlicka
Leo (Doc) Hrdlicka died Dec. 28, 2023, at the age of 94 years old in Cape Coral, Fla., with his best friend of 45 years, Sue Dittrick, at his side.
Doc was born in Cleveland, on July 27, 1929, to his parents, Edward and Genevieve (nee Stovicek) Hrdlicka. He had a brother eight years younger, Victor Joseph Hrdlicka (deceased).
His father worked at G.E. and his mother taught piano lessons. His love of music carried on throughout his life, as he would break out in song at any moment, and his little girls found great joy dancing around the dining room table as he played the accordion.
He was formerly married in 1950 to Nancy Handyside Hrdlicka (deceased) and raised three daughters in Burton.
His family moved to Oakwood Village, when he was 10, where he would spend summers working at his grandparents on the Stovicek farm in Aurora.
He graduated from Bedford High School and put himself through college by working at an ice cream factory, as a semi-truck washer and at a steel mill to name a few of his odd jobs.
His studies were interrupted when he enlisted in the Air Force in September 1950 and was stationed in Germany to open the “New” Ramstein Base. Since he had some college education, and could type, he worked in the office writing passes and taught classes to other airmen so they could get their G.E.D.’s. He also played on the Air Force football team, which won the European U.S. Military Championship. He was honorably discharged from the Air Force in September of 1953.
Doc went back to college, to The Ohio State University College of Veterinary Medicine, and joined the Sigma Nu fraternity. He used the G.I. Bill to finish his education, earning his Doctorate in Veterinary Medicine. He opened the Burton Veterinary Clinic on Gingerich Road in Burton in the spring of 1960 where he practiced until building a new clinic “uptown” in Burton Village. He retired at the age of 77.
He was an avid sportsman, playing softball into his 70s; however, his true love was golf. He had TWO holes-in-one on courses in Florida after the age of 80 and played into his 90s with his dear friend, Sue. He carried a low handicap and, after the age of 78, he almost always shot below his age!
He loved college sports and followed the Buckeye football team and FGCU men’s and women’s sports teams. Though his love of sports didn’t end there; if there was a game on TV somewhere, he was sure to be watching.
He is survived by his three daughters, Linn Keyes Walker (David), of Munson Township, Jill Vinecourt (Jim), of Burton, and Kimm Hrdlicka Tigges (Steven), of Worthington, Ohio; longtime companion, Susan Dittrick, of Cape Coral, Fla.; grandchildren, Pam Portman Glauser (Daniel), Erin Walker, Rick Portman III (Laura), Nikki Tigges, Jessie Tigges and Jared Dostie-Walker (Gabrielle); great-grandchildren, Mason Glauser, Isabel Tigges, Sawyer Glauser, Olivia Bruner, Isabel Bruner, Truth Portman, Louis Portman, Finnian Portman and Drayden Portman, and Charlotte Dostie.
A private service will be held at a later date in Florida.
Gifts in Doc’s memory should be made to your favorite animal charity or to his favorite charities: St. Jude’s Children’s Hospital, Wounded Warrior Project and Cleveland City Mission.
