George W. Leonard

George was born January 21, 1924, on a farm north of Holstein, Iowa, to Hiram Josiah and Christina Duretta (Schroeder) Leonard, ninth in a family of ten.

George started crop farming in 1941 and raising cattle and Yorkshire hogs, which he was very proud of.

George married Dolores “Dee” Thompson of Soldier, Iowa March 15, 1953 at the Soldier Lutheran Church. They moved to his farm near Holstein to continue farming. Four sons were born to this union. George’s life was blessed as a husband, father and provider.

George was an active and faithful servant of the Lord and a member of the Holstein United Methodist Church. George and Dee helped organize ‘Merry Mixers’ and were longtime members of this group. They enjoyed their ‘500’ card club with the same group of friends since 1953. The card club held an annual 4th of July picnic and celebrated many special events in each others’ lives. They also enjoyed dancing and were enthusiastic square dancers.

George served on many committees in the church including Sunday school teacher, youth leader and church board and as a UMYF counselor. George enjoyed volunteer work and was always willing to help out. He served on the boards of Ida Mutual Insurance, Co-op, Inc. and Ida County Conservation, ASCS Township committee and was a current member of Kiwanis. He was active for many years as a Boy Scout leader and enjoyed the many camping trips he helped organize.

George was a quiet man who always had a twinkle in his eye and a good sense of humor. He loved spending time with his family camping, boating & picnicking. He especially enjoyed Father’s Day and Memorial Day picnics and birthdays with homemade ice cream and fudge sauce. He was an avid outdoorsman and spent many hours hiking, fishing and deer hunting, as recently as this past December. He passed this love of nature to his sons. He always had a book of matches in his pocket, ready for his other passion of lighting fires for “controlled burns”, which sometimes were not so “controlled”. George moved to Holstein in 2010, but continued to actively farm until 2011. He enjoyed driving his Kymco around town, noon lunches at the Deli or Scoop with friends or his sons or just sitting in front of his house visiting with neighbors and passers-by.

He is survived by his four sons; Gregory and wife Renee’ of Correctionville, Rhett and wife Kathy of Ida Grove, Kirby and wife Patti of Montgomery, Texas and Jarrod and wife Monica of Bailey, Colorado, nine grandchildren and fifteen great-grandchildren; one brother Maurice and one sister Mary Conover.

He is preceded in death by his wife of 56 years, his parents and grandparents, six brothers and one sister. George will be missed and remembered with love and laughter as his life’s story is told from generation to generation.