Leslie L. Schoelkoph
Les had a passionate, lifelong commitment to fitness, strength and physical activity and he enjoyed working out and socializing with friends at the Hempfield rec Center.
Funeral services will be held from the Clyde W. Kraft Funeral Home, Inc. 519 Walnut St. Columbia, PA on Thursday, July 2, 2026, at 2:00 PM
There will be no public viewing, however the family will receive friends one hour prior to the service.
Private interment will follow in Laurel Hill Memorial Gardens.
Leslie L. Schoelkoph, 79, Lancaster, known as "Coach" or "Les", passed away at his home on June 19, 2026.
Born in Columbia, PA, he was the son of the late George A. and Alice Fogie Schoelkoph. He was preceded in death by his brother, Kenneth Schoelkoph.
Les graduated from Columbia High School, Class of 1965, where he excelled at multiple sports and earned a total of 10 Varsity letters in football, wrestling and baseball. Among his many athletic achievements, he was selected for the 1964 first team All-Conference football team and he co-received the Lancaster County Football League Bernie Rider Memorial Trophy for outstanding linebacker. Les was "Columbia Proud" and enjoyed reminiscing the glory days with former teammates.
He attended Trinidad Junior College, Colorado, and graduated from Fort Lewis College, Durango, Colorado, where he played football under scholarship. Following college, he signed with the Montreal Alouettes, Canadian Football League and later signed with the Pottstown Firebirds, an affiliate of the Philadelphia Eagles.
Les returned to Columbia High School (CHS) as a Physical Education teacher and he held numerous coaching positions including tenures of head coach for football, wrestling, baseball, and track & field. Under his leadership, the 1982 CHS Varsity wrestling team won the Lancaster-Lebanon Section title. Les also coached the wrestling team at Thaddeus Stevens College of Technology and produced an overall winning record. His coaching experiences were very rewarding to him and were fondly remembered.
He was inducted in the first class of the Columbia High School Athletic Hall of Fame for his athletic achievements and was also inducted in 2018, with the 1975 CHS State Championship Track team, that he coached. In 2004, he was inducted in the Susquehanna Valley Chapter of the PA Sports Hall of Fame.
In later years, he was most proud of training extensively and competing in well-known powerlifting federations, including the USA Powerlifting, the International Powerlifting Association, and the World Natural Powerlifting Federation, where he held State, National and World Titles.
Les had a passionate, lifelong commitment to fitness, strength and physical activity and he enjoyed working out and socializing with friends at the Hempfield recCenter.
He was a member of the Columbia VFW and the PA State Education Association.
Les is survived by a son, several cousins and friends.
Funeral services will be held from the Clyde W. Kraft Funeral Home, Inc. 519 Walnut St. Columbia, PA on Thursday, July 2, 2026, at 2:00 PM with the Rev. Jeff Engroff, officiating. There will be no public viewing, however the family will receive friends one hour prior to the service. Private interment will follow in Laurel Hill Memorial Gardens. Kindly omit flowers.
Contributions in Les's memory to the Columbia Education Foundation, PO Box 548, Columbia, PA 17512 would be deeply appreciated.
Send a Condolence
If you would like to send a condolence message to a family please fill out the form below and we will deliver it to them.