Leon Schueller

Leon Schueller died Tuesday, December 10, 2024 at Johnson Memorial Care Center in Dawson at the age of 95.

Mass of Christian Burial will be held on Monday, December 16, 2024 at 10:30 AM at St. James Catholic Church in Dawson.  Fr. John Hayes will be the celebrant and interment will be in the church cemetery.

Visitation will be held at Hanson & Dahl Funeral Home in Dawson on Sunday, December 15, 2024 from 4-6:00 PM and at the church for one hour before the service.

Leon Eugene Schueller was born February 24, 1929 in Canova, SD, second child of Arthur and Rose (Balk) Schueller. He was baptized in St. Agnes Catholic church in Howard, SD. The family lived on a farm near Howard until 1936 when they moved to a farm near Madison, SD. In 1940 they moved to a farm west of Dawson, MN. Leon attended the nearby consolidated school through eighth grade and then went to Dawson High School, graduating in 1947.

He helped out with chores and as he got older joined in with the farming and harvest. In his spare time he did some hunting and trapping to make some extra spending money. He made his first Communion in St. James Catholic church, at that time a mission church for St. Andrew’s Catholic church in Granite Falls. He was confirmed at St. Andrew’s.

After graduation, he continued to help his Dad farming on the “home-place”. In January of 1950, through a blind date, he met Mary Ann Kleffman of Council Bluffs, IA. They were married June 26, 1951 at St Francis Catholic church in Council Bluffs. In 1958, they moved to their own farm 8 miles north east of Dawson, in Lac Qui Parle township, where they raised their family of seven sons and two daughters. It was not a big farm, so they diversified by raising cows, pigs and chickens. Eventually, Leon concentrated on dairy farming with his son Kennan and continued helping after his retirement in 1994.

Leon had a deep faith and calling of service to our community nurtured by his relationship with God and the Catholic church. Prior to Vatican II, in the 1950’s, he assisted altar boys in learning Latin for the Mass. Also around this time he participated in getting the present St. James church built. After the Vatican II Catholic faith renewal in the 1960’s and decades after, he was an usher and served on the parish council as a trustee. He was also one of the first parishioners to take instructions to be a lay Eucharistic minister. In addition, he loved to sing and joined in the seasonal choirs with his wife Mary Ann. His faith and calling to service also inspired him to be an outspoken advocate for the poor, immigrants, and the outcasts of our community.

Leon enjoyed playing cards and games with family and friends. He loved to dance polkas, waltzes and the two-step. He enjoyed family gatherings, especially for holidays organizing huge bunko games, and after retirement traveling with Mary Ann. He felt very blessed for the life he had shared with Mary Ann for over 73 years and for their family.

He is survived by his wife, Mary Ann; his brother Gordon (Rhoda) Schueller of Madison; MN, sister-in-law Harriet Schueller of Dawson; nine children: James (Lynn) Schueller of Renville; Kennan (Karen) Schueller of Dawson; Janice (Kevin) Savoye of Dawson; Sharon (Mark) Nash of Middleton, WI; Duane Schueller of Dawson; Daniel (Karen) Schueller of Sauk Rapids; Douglas (Joan) Schueller of Pierre, SD; David (Patricia) of Minnetonka; and Brian Schueller of Paynesville; 24 grandchildren, 41 great-grandchildren and two great-great grandchildren.

He was preceded in death by his parents Arthur and Rose; siblings Robert (Pat) Schueller, Cletus (Marie) Schueller, Dorinda Williams, Adrian (Alice) Schueller, Marilyn (Herb) Adrian, and Dennis Schueller; and by one grandson, Nathan Schueller.