Leo Paul Landowski

To know this life was good. It left its mark on me. Its work stands fast. And so it lives.

Leo P. Landowski, age 91½, died September 21, 2019 at Fairview Ridges Hospital in Burnsville, Minnesota, following a brief illness. He passed quietly, surrounded by his family in his last days.

He was born on April 20, 1928 in Stearns County, Minnesota, to Joseph and Tillie Landowski, the third of eight children. Leo married Renee Weiman Hinkemeyer on January 10, 1959 in St Cloud, Minnesota.

Leo is survived by Renee, his wife of 60 years, along with six children, fourteen grandchildren and six great-grandchildren (#7 arriving in March 2020). He is loved and missed by that crew: daughter Kate (Wolfgang Michel) Rogers; son Bob (rockstar girlfriend Cindy Downes); son Dave (Jacki); son Jim (Terry Zerger); daughter Sue (Peter) Kraus; and daughter Trace (Joel) Ulland. Grandchildren: Will (Britany) Rogers; Rob (Stacey) Miessen; Josh Landowski (amazing girlfriend Morgan Ennis); Stephanie Landowski; Nikki (Tevin) Noe-Lebeck; Michael and Heather Landowski; Kailey, Meghann and Adam Kraus; and Linnea, Sydney and Ellie Ulland. Great-grandchildren: Elphaba and Micah Rogers; Ava Miessen; Dominick Landowski; Zaiden and Violet Noe-Lebeck. He’s also survived by his brothers Ben (Helen) and Richard (Pat); brother-in-law John Pierson; sister-in-law Anna Mae Lease; and brother- and sister-in-law Francis and Mary Weiman, along with many nieces, nephews and friends.

He was preceded in death by his grandson Patrick Landowski, his parents, his siblings Viola Vinton and Josephine Pearson, Peter, Albert and Severn Landowski.

Leo grew up in the St. Cloud area. While he had to leave school after the 6th grade to work on the family farm and other farms in the area, he was one of the smartest men we ever knew, with a mechanical talent that allowed him to fix or jerry-rig almost anything. One of his earliest jobs was working on a turkey farm near St. Cloud, helping raise more than 1,000 turkeys at a time. He worked a variety of manufacturing and factory jobs, working hard so his kids could have a comfortable childhood. The Landowski family moved to Wisconsin in 1966 when Leo’s job with Mayville Metal was transferred to Lomira. In 1969, he took on a part-time job with Pelletier Vending, repairing vending machines every weeknight and on Saturdays. He worked at Mayville Metal in Lomira for almost 30 years before retiring in 1992. He retired from Pelletier Vending in 1995. In retirement, he couldn’t sit still, so he became a crossing guard for Pier Elementary in Fond du Lac. All his working years were shadowed by being diagnosed with rheumatoid arthritis in his late teenage years, meaning he worked through an incredible amount of pain on a daily basis, Truly, no one worked harder than our dad.

Leo’s kids remember him for his bountiful garden of vegetables and flowers, the backyard skating rink he created every winter, his meticulous room painting skills, and the home repair/improvement work that he was so skilled at (and taught most of us). As a grandpa, he often stepped in to help get his grandkids to school, to care for them during school breaks or whenever one of us needed grandpa daycare. Being a grandfather and great-grandfather brought out a side of our father that we hadn’t seen before.

Leo was a member of Knights of Columbus Council 664, and a member of the Sacred Heart Men’s Council in the 1970s and 1980s.

Leo’s family would like to thank the staff at New Perspectives in Eagan, Minnesota, for their care and support, particularly over these last months, and the staff at Fairview Ridges for their care and support over the last week. So many amazing people gave us their hearts, guidance, patience and love as we navigated these difficult moments. Special thanks to caregiver Danielle for the love and prayers you shared with our dad when he needed you most.

Visitation will be held at Twohig Funeral Home, 305 Fond du Lac Ave., Fond du Lac, on Thursday, Sept. 26 from 4 to 7 p.m., and again at Sacred Heart Catholic Church, 200 S. Peters Ave., Fond du Lac, on Friday, Sept. 27 from 10 to 11 a.m.  A Mass of Christian Burial will follow visitation on Friday, beginning at 11 a.m. Entombment will be in Chapel of the Risen Christ Mausoleum in Calvary Cemetery, 686 Fond du Lac Ave. Fond du Lac..

The family asks that you remember Leo by enjoying your favorite cookie and ice cream (dad was known for his sweet tooth) and thinking about your favorite time with him. In lieu of flowers and in remembrance of dad’s love of fishing, the family asks that donations be made to Let’s Go Fishing ( www.lgfws.com ), a nonprofit that helps seniors, veterans and the disabled enjoy short fishing outings on local lakes throughout the country.

Twohig Funeral Home is serving the family with online guestbook and condolences at www.twohigfunerals.com ?