Leonard Lee Keech

Leonard Keech passed away on Saturday, September 29, 2018 at the Luther Memorial Home in Madelia. Leonard Lee Keech, son of Clyde and Edith (Archerd) Keech was born May 3, 1922, at Bayard, NE. When he was 4 years old his family moved to Madelia, MN, his mothers hometown. He graduated from Madelia High School in 1939. He attended the University of Minnesota Ag Campus with his close cousin Lowell Mather. In March 1944, Leonard enlisted in the Army. He took basic training at Camp Maxey near Paris, TX, where he was trained as part of a Chemical Co. (gas warfare). During WWII he served in France and Germany as a truck and jeep driver. He was honorably discharged on May 29, 1946. Leonard married Lila M. Mattson October 30, 1946. They started their family and farmed together near Lamberton, Sanborn, and Revere before settling on their farm near Sveadahl where he raised dairy cattle, hogs, sheep and chickens at times. Leonard also did carpentry work when he wasnt busy raising kids, animals and crops. Lila passed away in 1984. Leonard married Marcia Newberg on December 5, 1984. They lived on her farm place until 2002, when they moved into St. James. Leonard was a member of the American Legion, West Sveadahl Lutheran Church, First Lutheran Church and he had been a resident at the Luther Memorial Home since February 2014. He enjoyed reading, fishing, watching baseball and smoking his pipe. But he especially enjoyed time with his grandchildren and step-grandchildren. Grateful for having shared his life are his wife, Marcia, two sons; John (Janice) Keech, Robert (Denise) Keech, three daughters; Sharon (Mike) Eder, Carol Malzahn and Kathy (Michael) Pickard. Step-children; Keith (Lori) Newberg, Gail (Rob) Newberg-Thrond and Julie Newberg. Brother Clyde Eldon Keech, sister-in-law Dolores Keech, many grandchildren, great-grandchildren, and step-grandchildren, two brothers-in-law; Curt (Lorie) Frederiksen and Lee (Candace) Frederiksen and their families. He is preceded in death by parents, first wife Lila, son Billy at 22 months, 2 sisters and their husbands Marjorie and David Parker and Irene and Bob Lord, a brother Rev. Dudley Keech, 3 sisters-in-law and a brother-in-law, Mabel Reinitz, Doris Keech, Violet and Raymond Parker, son-in-law Sonny Malzahn and step-grandson Kyle Cole. Visitation 1 10:00 am - 11:00 am Thursday, October 4, 2018 First Lutheran Church, St. James 716 6th Ave. S. Saint James, Minnesota, United States 56081 Service Information 11:00 am Thursday, October 4, 2018 First Lutheran Church, St. James 716 6th Ave. S. Saint James, Minnesota, United States 56081 Interment Information Riverside Cemetery, Madelia East, Co. Hwy 3, Flanders Ave. Madelia, Minnesota, United States 56062 Military honors to be provided by the St. James Veterans Honor Guard. Fellowship Lunch and fellowship following the service.