Leon Feilmeier

Dates

Obituary

Leon Leonard Feilmeier, 77, of Mitchell died Wednesday, June 1, 2016 at Firesteel Healthcare Center in Mitchell, SD.  The Funeral Mass for the repose of the soul of Leon Feilmeier will be prayed at 10:00 AM Saturday June 4, 2016 at Holy Family Catholic Church in Mitchell.  Burial will be at Calvary Cemetery, Mitchell.  Visitation will be from 5-7:00 PM Friday at the Bittner Funeral Chapel. Memorials may be directed to Holy Family Catholic Church, Mitchell, SD.  Funeral arrangements are under the direction of Bittner Funeral Chapel

Leon was born on March 16, 1939 to Otto and Pat (Koch) Feilmeier in Ainsworth, NE and lived on a ranch in the Sandhills.  He graduated from Ainsworth High School where he played on the basketball team and was often the leading scorer.  After graduation, he moved to Hartington, NE where he met his future wife, Barbara Rowley, at Mount Marty College in Yankton, SD.  They were married December 30, 1961 at St.  Mary’s Catholic Church in Sioux Falls, SD.

They moved to McCook, NE where he was a draftsman for the Bureau of Reclamation.  He served in the US Army from 1962-1964.  Upon returning, he first saw his son who was now eight months old.  He then graduated from McCook College and moved the family (now including two daughters) to Vermillion where he attended the University of South Dakota.

Leon then became a District Manager for Allis Chalmers and the family moved to Chamberlain, SD.  Another son was added to the family and later the family moved to Mitchell, SD.  He also farmed land around Chamberlain and later Mitchell.  As an avid sports fan, he loved the Cornhuskers and the Mitchell Kernels. 

He is survived by his wife, Barb, of fifty-four years, and his four children:  Michael (Bonita) and their son, Joseph, and daughter, Jessica, of Jefferson, SD, Catherine (Kelly) Kramer and their daughters, Amanda and Lauren of Brandon, SD, Christine of Sioux Falls and John (Tammy) and son, Blake, of Atlanta, GA; sister, Sharon Litz of Hartington, NE.

He was preceded in death by his parents and brothers-in-law:  Don Litz, Paul Rowley and Russell Martinson.