Love of his life was wife, Dee

Washington County native Leonard L. Schmidt, 87, of Holstein, died on Sunday, Nov. 27, 2011, at the Horn Memorial Hospital of Ida Grove.

Services were Wednesday, Nov. 30 at the St. Paul Lutheran Church of Holstein. Interment was in the Prairie View Cemetery in Kennard.

Leonard L. Schmidt was born Sept. 7, 1924, on a farm in Washington County to William H. and Clara Schmidt.

He graduated from Fort Calhoun High School.

He worked on the Henry Tietgen farm as the hired man before going to war. He served in World War II, in the Philippines, where he received a Purple Heart. He returned home from the war and married the farmer's daughter, Delores Tietgen, on June 25, 1949.

He worked as a plumber the first years of their marriage and was also a wonderful handyman. The couple moved to Wayne and went to work for Tietgen Hatchery. Later, they purchased the hatchery, which they operated for many years.

The family moved to Schuyler in 1967 where he worked for Oberg Hatchery, then to Land O' Lakes (then Spencer Beef) packing plant, where he worked as a boiler operator/maintenance supervisor until he retired in September 1994.

The absolute loves of his life were his wife, Dee, and his daughters, along with camping and polka dances. The couple never went anywhere without each other; where you saw one, the other was close by.

He adored his grandsons, never missing an opportunity to babysit or help build a Pinewood Derby car. He is remembered as a kind, gentle and very polite man.

He is survived by his daughters and son-in-law, Kerri Hardesty of Appleton City, Mo., and Audrey and Rod Flogstad of Holstein; two grandsons; sister and brother-in-law, Eleanor and Allie Rasmussen of Ocala, Fla.; sister-in-law, Lorraine Schmidt of Fort Calhoun; and many nieces and nephews.

He was preceded in death by his wife, Delores; his brother, Floyd; and grandson, Andy Kroeger.

The Nicklas D. Jensen Funeral Home in Holstein was in charge of arrangements.