Leon Wesley Lingle

Leon Wesley Lingle was born March 3, 1920, to Alfred and Betty (Untiedt) Lingle at Holstein, IA. At the age of 2, Leon and his family moved south of Springfield, MN in Stately Township. He attended Stately Township country school #61. At the age of 14, they moved northwest of Windom where Leon helped his family on the farm. In 1939, Leon and his family moved to a farm near Lamberton. He enlisted with the U.S. Navy in 1941 and served for 6 years. Leon served aboard the USS Anderson, a destroyer ship, then was assigned to an operation at Marshall Islands - Bikini bomb test. While serving on the USS Anderson, Leon saw action including the Coral Sea, Midway, Santa Cruz, Guadalcanal, Kiska, Gilberts, Marshalls, New Guinea, and the Philippines. His ship was damaged by shore battery in the Marshalls and a suicide plane in the Philippines. He then served in Guam until his Honorable Discharge in 1947. He met Evelyn Petersen on one of his leaves and was united in marriage on June 20, 1948, at Sharon Lutheran Church in Lamberton. The couple lived in Los Angeles, CA for a short time then moved to Springfield where Leon worked for Tauer's Super Valu. Leon and Evelyn then began farming in Johnsonville, and later Waterbury Townships from 1952 until retiring in 1979. They milked cows and raised hogs, and did everything necessary to provide for their family. To Leon, his life was in service to others and he cherished his 69 years of marriage to Evelyn. He was a member of Our Savior's Lutheran Church and Andrew Peterson American Legion Post #41. Leon enjoyed farming, reading, outdoor work, and his navy reunions. Leon Wesley Lingle died Monday, January 1, 2018, at the Mayo Clinic Health System in Springfield at the age of 97. He is survived by wife Evelyn; sons- Steve (Deb) Lingle of Lamberton, Dean (Deb) Lingle of Lamberton, Brian (Kristine) Lingle of Spicer, James (Valentina) Lingle of Sioux Falls, SD, and Dan (special friend Darla) Lingle of Lamberton; daughters- Kristine Lingle (Michael) Scanlon of Littleton, NH, Lisa Hildreth (special friend Tony) of Monroe Center, IL, and Lori (Mark) Highby of Revere; 19 grandchildren; and 9 great-grandchildren. He was preceded in death by his parents; brother Dale Lingle; and sisters- Katherine Robbins and Betty Zoe Sampson. Visitation 1 4:00 pm - 7:00 pm Thursday, January 4, 2018 Sturm Funeral Home, Lamberton Chapel 502 S. Main Lamberton, Minnesota, United States 56152 Visitation 2 9:30 am - 10:30 am Friday, January 5, 2018 Our Savior's Lutheran Church, Lamberton, MN 805 Birch St. Lamberton, Minnesota, United States 56152 Service Information 10:30 am Friday, January 5, 2018 Our Savior's Lutheran Church, Lamberton, MN 805 Birch St. Lamberton, Minnesota, United States 56152 Military Honors Military Honors by Andrew Peterson American Legion Post #41. Luncheon Luncheon to immediately follow services at the church.