Ken Leisher passed away unexpectedly on Saturday, February 7, 2026, at the age of 80 in Colorado Springs, Colorado.

Ken was born in Spokane, Washington, March 16, 1945. At six months old, his family moved to Boston, Massachusetts where he lived until the age of 16. He lived in the Chicago area for 3 years and then relocated back to Spokane where he met his wife of 60 years, Pat.

Ken joined the United States Army in 1970 and became a dedicated patriot. He served for 28 years as a hospital administrator running numerous hospitals across the world while making many lifelong friends along the way. Ken and Pat enjoyed their time traveling the world including stops in Germany and South Korea. He retired as a full colonel in 1998 from Fort Carson as the XO of the hospital. After his retirement in the Army, he spent the next 16 years as CEO of 3 different hospitals located in Delhi, NY, Wheatland, WY and finally landing in Salida, Colorado at Heart of the Rockies Regional Medical Center for the last 7 years of his career. You could always find him in the halls with a smile and a cup of coffee in his hand.

Ken was a runner of many miles, including 3 marathons, an avid bicyclist, riding 15 miles three times a week until the age of 80, and a skier of the world. Ken was a board member of the Colorado Hospital Association for 6 years and advocated on behalf of rural hospitals in front of Congress. His keen insight into the challenges faced by rural hospitals helped shape the kind of public policy that improved access to affordable healthcare. Ken loved helping people, including picking up the occasional hitchhiker along the drive. He had a passion for sports that was unmatched whether it was watching his grandkids or his Boston teams. He had a connection with nature and enjoyed fly-fishing and walking his Weimaraner dog. He was a member of the Vaqueros from 2008–2026. As much as he loved Salida and the mountains, Ken spent a great deal of time in Colorado Springs to support his grandchildren in their school and sports activities. Nothing was more important to him than his family.

Ken is survived by his wife, Pat, son, Tom (Trisha) of Colorado Springs, three grandchildren, Ella, Allison and Karl, sister, Diana (Jack) Collado of Colorado Springs, brother, Doug (Judy) of Hampton, Virginia, sister-in-law, DeAnn (Darren) Zachary of Eatonville, Washington and several nieces and nephews, many friends, coworkers and neighbors.

Ken was preceded in death by his mother, Victoria Leisher, and brother-in-law, Rich Pockert.

Ken will continue his journey in helping others by qualifying as a tissue donor. With his donation, he will help up to 100 people in need.

Please make memorial contributions to the things Ken was passionate about: Mile High Weimaraner Rescue and Cheyenne Mountain Zoo in Colorado Springs, Colorado.

A celebration of his life will be held this summer in Salida and in Colorado Springs, Colorado.