Leroy H. Grundmeier, 69, passed away May 11, 2014, at the Montana Veterans Home.
Leroy was born on Sept. 6, 1944, in Blackduck, Minn., where he lived all of his younger life. He learned to work hard and play hard during his time on the farm. In 1964, he moved to Whitefish to be near his sister and brother-in-law. From that time on he loved the mountains and called Montana home.
Leroy served in the U.S. Army from 1965 to 1967. After basic training and radio repair school he was deployed to Vietnam. While there he was injured by shrapnel and was awarded a Purple Heart.
When he returned to Montana he went back to work logging. Leroy had a passion for logging and work in the woods. He worked for multiple logging companies through the years including Bruce Reimer, Will Warner logging and Royal Logging. In March of 1993, he came home in the middle of the day and never worked in the woods again.
He always worked at staying active. As Parkinson's disease made mobility a struggle, he continued to enjoy running his chainsaw and tractor.
Leroy was always ready to offer help to a friend or neighbor. During his retirement he modified his passions for logging and his chainsaw to fit his abilities. He made lamps from firewood and used his lawn tractor for mobility. When he could no longer drive he still loved a ride in the mountains or a trip to visit family.
He was preceded in death by his mother, father, brother, two sisters, aunts, uncles and multiple nieces and nephews.
Leroy is survived by his wife of 43 years, Jana Grundmeier; daughter and son-in-law Ken and Kami Doty; sisters, Joyce Quimby of Columbia Falls, Laura Thomas of Beloit, Wis., and Lois Schwegel of Whitefish; along with many nieces, nephews, cousins and very dear friends.
Services will be held at 1 p.m. Saturday, May 17, at Buffalo Hill Funeral Home. Military honors will follow at Glacier Memorial Gardens.
At the request of the family, donations may be made to the American Parkinson's Disease Association, c/o John Holland, 808 Grizzly Dr., Great Falls MT 59404.
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Leroy was born on Sept. 6, 1944, in Blackduck, Minn., where he lived all of his younger life. He learned to work hard and play hard during his time on the farm. In 1964, he moved to Whitefish to be near his sister and brother-in-law. From that time on he loved the mountains and called Montana home.
Leroy served in the U.S. Army from 1965 to 1967. After basic training and radio repair school he was deployed to Vietnam. While there he was injured by shrapnel and was awarded a Purple Heart.
When he returned to Montana he went back to work logging. Leroy had a passion for logging and work in the woods. He worked for multiple logging companies through the years including Bruce Reimer, Will Warner logging and Royal Logging. In March of 1993, he came home in the middle of the day and never worked in the woods again.
He always worked at staying active. As Parkinson's disease made mobility a struggle, he continued to enjoy running his chainsaw and tractor.
Leroy was always ready to offer help to a friend or neighbor. During his retirement he modified his passions for logging and his chainsaw to fit his abilities. He made lamps from firewood and used his lawn tractor for mobility. When he could no longer drive he still loved a ride in the mountains or a trip to visit family.
He was preceded in death by his mother, father, brother, two sisters, aunts, uncles and multiple nieces and nephews.
Leroy is survived by his wife of 43 years, Jana Grundmeier; daughter and son-in-law Ken and Kami Doty; sisters, Joyce Quimby of Columbia Falls, Laura Thomas of Beloit, Wis., and Lois Schwegel of Whitefish; along with many nieces, nephews, cousins and very dear friends.
Services will be held at 1 p.m. Saturday, May 17, at Buffalo Hill Funeral Home. Military honors will follow at Glacier Memorial Gardens.
At the request of the family, donations may be made to the American Parkinson's Disease Association, c/o John Holland, 808 Grizzly Dr., Great Falls MT 59404.