- Eugene J. ‘Gene' Leis;BANGOR, Wis. — Eugene Joseph Leis, 86, of rural Bangor died peacefully, su rrounded by his loving family on Monday, Oct. 13, 2003, at the Mulder Heal th Care Facility in West Salem, Wis. He was born April 14, 1917, in Pine H ollow to Henry and Catherine (Seitz) Leis.Eugene was baptized and confirmed at the SS. Peter and Paul Catholic Churc h, Pine Hollow, where he also attended grade school.He was raised on a farm and had various other jobs until being drafted in to the U.S. Army in July 1941. Eugene did his basic training at Camp Gran t, Ill. He then served in the United States Medical Corps at Dutch Harbo r, Aleutian Islands, Alaska, where he became a practicing pharmacist.While on leave, Eugene married Luella Burbach on April 26, 1944, at St. Pe ter's Catholic Church in Middle Ridge, Wis.After being honorably discharged with the rank of sergeant in 1945, he w as employed at G. Heilman Brewery, the Tomah V.A. Hospital and the La Cros se County Highway Department.In 1950, Eugene and Luella bought a dairy farm in Middle Ridge and work ed hard together for the next 30 years. They were members of the Middle Ri dge Cheese Factory and also the Mid-Port Cheese Factory during that time.Besides farming, Eugene worked installing barn equipment, did masonry a nd concrete work for more than20 years and also was an excellent carpenter .Being a veteran of World War II, he was an active member of the Bangor Ame rican Legion Post No. 40 and the Bangor Clements-Anderson-Leis V.F.W. Po st No. 8278. He was also a longtime member of the Bohemian Valley Sportsm an Club.For enjoyment, he frequently attended the stock car races, horse and tract or pulls in the surrounding area and was a big fan of the Milwaukee Brewe rs and the Green Bay Packers. Since retiring in 1980, Eugene and Luella tr aveled to many different states on bus tours, and also made a return tr ip to Florida, where they had spent their honeymoon.In addition to Luella, his wife of almost 60 years, he is survived by thr ee daughters: Virginia (Roy) Franz of Madison, Wis., Carol (Stanley) Cleme nts of La Crosse and Marcia (Cal) Pickering of Tomah, Wis.; two sons, Jero ld (Karen Jandt) Leis of Rockland, Wis., and Leo (Ruth Schmaltz) Leis of M iddle Ridge; seven granddaughters: Kristi (Tim) Hermanson, Maria Clement s, Melissa Leis and fiancé Robert Gollnik Jr., Bobbi Jo and Alison Pickeri ng, and Katie and Jennifer Leis; 10 grandsons, Kevin Franz, Christopher (W endy), Andrew (Heidi), Eugene (Leslie), Timothy, Adam and Nathan Clement s, Chad (Shannon) Leis, Tyler Pickering and Tony Leis; 13 great-grandchild ren, Jared and Savannah Hermanson, Audra, Sofia, Sydney, and Ella Clement s, Andrew II, Alissa, Anna and Aubrey Clements, Lilyan Clements, and Bren na and Nolan Leis; two sisters, Cecelia and Elaine Leis, both of Sparta; a nd two brothers, Floyd (Harriet) Leis of Cashton and Joe (Ardella) Le is of Portland.He was preceded in death by his mother, Catherine in 1938; his father, Hen ry, in 1966; a son, John, killed in Vietnam in 1971; a grandson, Brent Cle ments, in 1989; and a great-granddaughter, Carli Clements in 1995.A Mass of Christian Burial will be held Wednesday, Oct. 15, 2003, at 11 a. m. at St. Peter's Catholic Church in Middle Ridge. Father Robert Altman wi ll officiate and Father Robert Hundt will concelebrate. Burial will foll ow in the church cemetery with military honors by the Bangor Clements-Ande rson-Leis V.F.W. Post 8278. Relatives and friends are invited for visitati on on Tuesday, Oct. 14, 2003, from 4 to 8 p.m. at St. Peter's Catholic Chu rch. A rosary will be recited at 7:30 p.m. Visitation will also be he ld at the church on Wednesday from 9:30 a.m. until the time of service. T he Torkelson Funeral Home in Cashton will be assisting the family with arr angements.Gene had a wonderful life and enjoyed spending time with his large fami ly and will be sadly missed. Rest in peace, we love you.Be not sorrowful that I am gone And my earthly life is done Be not sad I p assed away,For in you, my children, I live each day. There is a little of me in a ll of you. In each new one I live anew.So you see, I'll never be really gone, As long as there are children to ca rry on. I have had my share of Love, sorrow and strife.I have lived a full and fruitful life. So do not mourn, and do not weep, F or I have earned this peaceful sleep.
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1917 - 2003 (86 years)
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Obituary
