Leroy DeMeulenaere

LEROY DEMEULENAERE Cedar Rapids Leroy H. DeMeulenaere, 81, of Cedar Rapids, passed away peacefully, with his wife and daughter at his side, on Tuesday, Jan. 14, 2014, at St. Luke's Hospital, Cedar Rapids. Funeral Mass: 10:30 a.m. Monday, Jan. 20, at St. Ludmila Catholic Church, Cedar Rapids, by Father Tom Zinkula and Deacon Jim Berger. The family will receive friends from 2 to 6 p.m. Sunday, Jan. 19, at Murdoch-Linwood Funeral Home & Cremation Service, Cedar Rapids, where a rosary will be said at 2 p.m. Military honors will be provided by American Legion Post 727. Cremation will follow the church service. Survivors include his wife, RaVae; daughter, Jeanne DeMeulenaere of Silverdale, Wash.; brother-in-law, Robert Marshall of Ventura, Calif.; one niece and five nephews. Leroy was preceded in death by his infant daughter, parents and sister, Jean Marshall. Born Jan. 27, 1932, near Hartwick, Iowa, Leroy was the son of Albert and Anna (Saelens) DeMeulenaere. He attended St. John's Catholic School in Victor and completed high school at Brooklyn High School in 1950. Leroy served his country in the U.S. Navy for four years and was especially proud of his two years aboard the U.S.S. Iowa. On Nov. 5, 1955, he was united in marriage to RaVae Antheunis. Leroy worked in automotive repair for many years and retired from Mercy Medical Center as a security guard. He continued to work part-time performing valet parking for St. Luke's Hospital past his 81st birthday where he especially enjoyed the staff and patients. Other joys were playing cards and golfing with his wife and friends. He had great pride in his home reflected by the upkeep he gave it, and an old-fashioned work ethic which made him the go-to guy when an extra hand was needed at work. A special thanks to Dr. Chirantan Ghosh and his caring staff, St. Luke's 5th Floor and hospice staff, Dr. Thomas Schroeder, our St. Ludmila family, and our many supportive friends and neighbors. In lieu of flowers, donations may be made in Leroy's memory to the Anna Purna Ghosh Foundation, P.O. Box 1248, Cedar Rapids, IA 52406. Please sign the online guest book for Leroy at www.murdochfuneral home.com under obituaries.