Leonard A. Woitalewicz

Leonard A. Woitalewicz, 83 of Loup City, NE died Wednesday, July 25, 2012 at the Valley County Hospital in Ord, NE.  Funeral services will be 10:00 a.m. Saturday, July 28, 2012 at St. Josaphat’s Catholic Church in Loup City with Father Martin Egging officiating with military honors by the Loup City American Legion Post #48.  Cremation will follow the service with burial at a later date at the Evergreen Cemetery in Loup City.  Visitation will be from 5:00 p.m. to 7:00 p.m. Friday, July 27, 2012 at the church with a Vigil Service held at 7:00 p.m. Friday at the church.  Memorials are suggested to the Loup City American Legion Baseball Program or the Loup City Volunteer Fire Department.

Leonard Anthony Woitalewicz was born November 20, 1928 in  Sherman County to Tony and Teckla (Lonowski) Woitalewicz. On May 5, 1951, while on leave from the Army, he married his lifemate, Arlene Rein.   They were together nearly 57 years.   Their wedding reception was held in Loup City in the very house that became the home where they would raise four children, entertain friends  and family , spoil grandchildren and retire, all within the same four walls from beginning to end.

Early in his life he was a business owner and a farmer and then a longtime employee of the State of Nebraska Department of Roads, retiring after more than 30 years of service.  He was a Korean War Veteran and a member of the American Legion and VFW.   Throughout his life he had many interests and hobbies, his favorites being baseball and bowling, hunting and fishing, dancing and gardening.

He will be remembered by this writer as an all-star second baseman and as the years passed he wore the title of coach and umpire as well, remaining very involved in Town Team, Little League and Legion   baseball over many years. Countless bowling trophies are long gone but he never forgot the fun he had with "the guys" on their road trips to tournaments across the State every fall and winter.

His family will treasure memories of him leading weeklong deer hunts and weekend pheasant and duck hunts as well as the endless summers spent at Sherman Lake fishing and boating and learning to ski.  He enjoyed music and loved to dance. Back in the days of Saturday night Lawrence Welk and Sunday morning Big Joe he would often polka around the dining room table or waltz in the middle of the living room with either his wife in his arms or his girls on top of his feet.

His huge vegetable garden always looked like it belonged on the cover of a gardening magazine and was always appreciated by friends and neighbors with whom he shared everything he grew, whether it was fresh or canned. Though his ability to enjoy most of his favorite things ended unexpectedly some 25 years ago his love of gardening never waivered.               He figured out a way to still have his summer garden in dirt-filled barrels lined up beside his backyard sidewalk allowing him to move his wheelchair from barrel to barrel, reaching in to plant, water, weed and pick.

He will be remembered by his family as a loving father and grandfather, a proud man, brave, determined and fiercely independent and he will be greatly missed.

He is survived by a son,  Mick Woitalewicz of Paxton; daughters and sons-in-law, Connie and Bruce Trautwein of Hallam, Susan and Lee Young  of Grand Junction, CO,  Cindi and Mike Brass of Arnold, MD; sister, Elaine Matejka  of Grand Island; eight grandchildren, Scott Woitalewicz of Western, Tony Pruss of Ravenna, Casie Hansen of Lincoln, Schuyler and Logan Young of Grand Junction CO, Samantha Griffin of Lawrenceville, GA, Danielle Brass of Atlanta, GA, Broderick Brass of Arnold MD; five great-grandchildren, Caleb and Blake Hansen of Lincoln, Evelyn and Jenna Woitalewicz of Western, Macie Lee Griffin of Lawrenceville GA.   He was preceded in death by his wife who was the love of his life and one grandchild, David Hugh Pruss.