Leon M. Sturdevant, age 89, of Reedsburg, passed away peacefully after a long hard-fought battle with dementia and cancer, on Wednesday May 15, 2024, at the Sauk County Health Care Center with his daughter, Sarah by his side.

Leon was born on April 8, 1935, in Baraboo, WI, the son of Myrtle (née Ingebretson) and Clyde Sturdevant.  He grew up on the family farm in the Town of Newport with his parents and 3 siblings— Roger, Harold, and Mary Ellen— where working hard was the way of life.  He was a member of the Wisconsin Dells High School Class of 1953. 

After high school, he was drafted into the Army and proceeded to serve his country twice, during the Korean War and then the Berlin Crisis.  He was very proud to have served his country and loved telling stories about his time there, whether it was the time there was such as a massive ocean storm that it almost sank the ship taking them to Korea, or it was working in the mess hall and sneaking food, or it was being a medical transport driver, or it was making friends with Korean soldiers who taught him valuable Korean phrases.  It always seemed every story ended with a funny side story that made it sound like being in the War was not as bad as it really was.  My Dad’s most used phrase from that time, which he used almost daily through the end of his life, was “Molla” which means “I don’t know”.  He’d then shrug his shoulders and chuckle.  He used this phrase more like “oh well, whatever will be will be” which certainly summed up his relaxed, patient, sweet personality perfectly.

In 1960, he met the love of his life, Elaine B. Thompson, the sister of his brother’s wife.  Instantly they hit it off and were united in marriage on May 14, 1960.  He was truly a loving and devoted husband for their entire marriage.  He even visited her every day in the nursing home for years until she finally lost her battle with Alzheimer’s on November 14, 2010.  Throughout their entire marriage and even after her death, he refused to ever take his wedding ring off for any reason, not even for surgeries.  He felt taking it off for any reason was breaking his marriage promise to her.

Unable to have biological children of their own, in 1970 they adopted a 2 week old baby girl and named her Sarah.  She became the light of her Daddy’s eye the moment he laid eyes on her and he told the social worker “we’ll take her.”  It is one of my most cherished stories he told me, and it always brought tears running down my face every time he told it to me.  When his dementia worsened, he would sometimes repeat stories or phrases over and over, sometimes the same one for the entire day.  I never minded because I knew that was what this terrible disease’s process does.  But one day in December 2023, I was lucky enough to have him repeat over and over that very cherished of him holding me in his arms for the first time and telling the social worker “we’ll take her!”.  I felt that day that I had won and dementia finally lost, even if it was for only one day.

After returning from the Wars, Leon was employed at the Badger Army Ammunition Plant in Baraboo, alongside his wife.  He was a Milk Hauler for Gruber Dairy in Baraboo.  He was also a Custodian at the Sauk County Health Care Center in Reedsburg for 20 years, again alongside his wife.  And finally in his retirement, was a bus driver for VARC in Reedsburg.  He always put everything he had into whatever job he did.  We were all lucky that that meant an easy-going nature with a great sense of humor was working right beside us.

Leon had many hobbies.  He truly enjoyed tinkering in his free time in which he created and crafted and repaired many things.  He loved doing his own maintenance on his cars and taught me how to change the oil and even grease a ball joint.  He loved woodworking which included making custom picture frames, and making animal and holiday cutout yard art.  He loved gardening, especially with his wife, Elaine, who was definitely the green-thumb of our family.  They grew grapes, sunflowers, and all types of vegetables.

He loved camping, even when his daughter brought multiple girlfriends along and kept him up all night talking and laughing.  He never complained once.

He loved watching baseball, pretty much only for his favorite team though, the St Louis Cardinals.  He became a fan of theirs as a child when Wisconsin did not yet have a team.  He and his dad even took a few bus trips down to St Louis to watch games.  Growing up, our home was definitely a household divided, my Brewers vs his Cardinals, and the 1982 World Series was the most we ever bantered.  And our rivalry only got worse when both teams got into the same division.  Taking him to the ballpark in Milwaukee for some of these rivalry games were some of the funniest times for the both of us.  I will always treasure throwing and catching baseballs with him as a kid, and sometimes diving just to tag him out.

Once he was in the nursing home, his newest hobby became dominos.  The nursing home did not have dominos when he arrived but it did not take long for him to petition someone to get a set and then the games began.  Gary, a volunteer at the nursing home and a fellow dominoes shark, was surely a blessing to my Dad.  We played nearly every time we were together, even trying to figure out how we could over FaceTime during COVID.  John and I still haven’t figured out how when Dad lost a game, multiple times he only got stuck with the 2 lowest numbers possible… hmmm??

He was a devoted Christian and member of St. John Ev. Lutheran Church in Loganville.  He was a true patriot and a member of the Reedsburg American Legion Post #350.

Leon was preceded in death by his loving wife Elaine; his parents; his 2 brothers Harold and Roger Sturdevant; his sister Mary Ellen Ellis; along with many brothers- and sisters- in-law; nephew Martin Nodolf; niece Melinda née Pickel; and many other beloved relatives and friends whom he will now be laughing and joking with regularly, I’m sure.  Also his dog Spanky, whose ashes will be laid to rest with him.

Leon is survived by his daughter, Sarah Sturdevant (John Welch) of New Lisbon & Maui; 3 grand doggies— Cinder-Ella, Charlie, and Gussie— who will miss their G-Pa very much… esp his loving pets and fallen crumbs of food; sisters-in-law Melva Pickel and Karen Nodolf; and many nieces and nephews along with their children; and our very special friend Kelly Brekke (née Wentland), whom my Dad always called his “other daughter” and always knew how to make Papa Smurf smile.

A Very Special Thank You goes out to the many many wonderful nurses that had assisted in taking care of my Dad over the 13 years he was at the SCHCC, especially his nurse and our friend Alisia who touched both of our lives in a special way; to all of the UW Dermatology and Oncology team members; to the UW Memory Clinic team; to his wonderful local doctor Joanna Laukant MD and her nurse; to the Reedsburg Hospital’s many teams on our many visits and admissions throughout the years; to Julie and the entire staff of Farber Funeral Home; to Pastor Tim Andersen for always knowing the exact words to say when I needed it; and John Welch for always being there for my Dad when I couldn’t— by staying in Wisconsin near him, by playing dominos, by watching baseball games, and supplying the peanuts and root beers, by joking and laughing until wee hours of the night, by taking him his favorite desserts and snacks, by sending me pics and FaceTiming when I couldn’t stand not seeing him— I cannot Thank You enough.

Funeral services for Leon Sturdevant will be conducted at 11:00 AM on Friday, May 24, 2024, at St. John Ev. Lutheran Church, Loganville, with Pastor Tim Anderson officiating.  Burial with military rites will follow in Oak Lawn Cemetery, LaValle. Visitation will be held on Thursday from 4:00 until 7:00 PM at the Farber Funeral Home, Reedsburg, and on Friday morning from 10:00 AM until the time of the service at the church. Memorials may be made to St. John Lutheran Church, Loganville.

We will all miss the best hugs ever given!  I will miss your laughter and jokes every day.  And as I have always said to you over and over, and even while you were passing, “You are the Best Daddy in the whole world!”