Harry Leonhardt

HARRY A. LEONHARDT

Amana

Harry A. Leonhardt, 97, of Amana, died Sunday, April 17, 2016, at Mercy Medical Center, Cedar Rapids. Funeral services will be 2 p.m. Saturday, April 23, at Middle Amana Community Church in Middle Amana with Elder Kristie Yoder officiating. Burial will be in Middle Amana Cemetery with military honors. The family will receive friends from 1 to 2 p.m. Saturday at the church.

In lieu of flowers, memorials may be made to Disabled American Veterans (DAV).

Kloster Funeral Home, Marengo, is assisting the family with arrangements.

Survivors include a son, Mark (Tami) of Columbia, S.C.; three grandchildren, Eric of College Station, Texas, and Tori and Nicholas of Columbia, S.C.; a sister, Rose Leonhardt of Amana; a nephew, Larry Rettig (Wilma) of South Amana; a niece, Rosemary Houser (David) of Moatsville, W.Va.; a nephew, Douglas Leonhardt (Janet) of Cedar Rapids; a nephew, David Leonhardt of Kansas City, Mo.; and a niece, Ellen Leonhardt of Cedar Rapids.

He was preceded in death by his parents, Ferdinand and Minnie; his wife, Anne; a sister, Lina; a brother, Elmer; and a niece, Bonnie (Rettig) Hertel.

Harry was born July 11, 1918, in Middle Amana, Iowa, the son of Ferdinand and Minnie Leonhardt. He attended high school in Marengo for two years and after the building of the Amana High School in Middle, he was with the first Amana graduating class of '36.

In April 1941, he was the second one from the Amanas called for the draft during World War II. He received training in the medical corps and was stationed in San Francisco at the Presidio. After 17 months, he went to Officer's Candidate School at Fort Knox, Ky., and received training as a tank commander, graduating as a second lieutenant. He served with the 778th tank battalion of the U.S. Third Army. He received a battlefield promotion to first lieutenant and also was awarded a silver star and bronze star medal for gallantry in action.

Near the end of the war he met his future wife, Anne, in Oberplan, Sudetenland, what is now the Czech Republic. After Anne received orders to report to a labor camp, he smuggled her out of the country into Linz, Austria, where her family, after escaping, came to meet her. Anne came to America in 1947 as part of the War Brides Act and they were married on June 21, 1947. They were married until Anne's passing in March of this year for almost 69 years.

Harry worked most of his career at Iowa Pipe and Supply Co. and later Plumb Supply Co. until age 68. At age 69, he began his second career as a broom maker at The Broom and Basket Shop in West Amana until his early 90s.

Harry enjoyed scouting and was a Boy Scouts of America leader until his early 90s. After returning from the war he decided to complete his Eagle Scout requirements, and in 1957, at the age of 39, was awarded the rank of Eagle Scout. He started three generations of Eagle Scouts as his son, Mark, and grandsons, Eric and Nicholas, also have achieved the rank of Eagle Scout.

Harry also enjoyed hunting and fishing and music, playing guitar, violin and harmonica, and singing. He and his wife performed in many traditional German performances in the Amanas for many years. He and Anne also enjoyed playing bridge.

Harry was a lifetime member of American Legion Post 76.

Harry was a wonderful husband, brother, father and grandfather, whose memory will be cherished by all who knew and loved him.

Online condolences: www.klosterfuneralhome.com.