Leon E Schaper

Leon (Lee) Edmond Schaper, 89, of La Crescent, MN, died early Sunday morning, September 18, 2022, at home with wife of 37 years, Cindy, by his side.

Leon was born on June 7, 1933, in Amboy, MN, to LeRoy and Hannah (Aakre) Schaper. He lived as a child in Amboy and Blue Earth, MN. He worked at his father’s airport during his teenage years and got his pilot’s license before his automobile driver’s license. When his father became ill, Lee took over the family farm in Amboy.

Lee served in the U.S. Army at the end of the Korean War from 1951 to 1955 with the 4th Platoon Company D, 128th R.O.M. Brigade, 6th Armed Division, at Fort Leonard Wood, Missouri. Lee was a lifetime member of the American Legion—Houston and La Crescent.

He worked for Houston-Money Creek Creamery as a truck driver for 25 years. He temporarily retired in 1999 before returning to work for about 8 years as a truck driver for Sno Pac Foods in Caledonia, MN.

Leon was united in marriage to Cindy L. Olson on December 6, 1986, at Cross of Christ Lutheran Church in Houston, MN. The couple had met decades before they were married and got reacquainted many years later. He and Cindy moved to La Crescent in 2004. Leon was a member of Prince of Peace Lutheran Church in La Crescent. He was baptized at the church in March 2022.

Lee loved sailing in the backwaters of the Mississippi River, reading, cooking and canning with his wife, walking the couple’s dogs Bella and Roo, and watching Westerns on television. Early in their marriage, Lee especially enjoyed going for rides around the countryside on his Honda Gold Wing Touring motorcycle. Lee was young at heart, and always quick with a story or a joke. He will be missed by all who knew him.

Survivors include his wife Cindy, sister, Pat (John) Hyatt of Wichita, KS; ; two nephews Greg and Jeff Hyatt, two great-nieces; several cousins brother in law David Olson, sisters in law Cathy (Loren) Vetch, Connie (Todd) Newman and mother in law Doris Olson. He was preceded in death by his parents, LeRoy and Hannah Schaper, one sister Barbara, father in law Gerald Olson, four aunts, and seven uncles.

Memorial services will be held at 11am on Thursday, September 22, 2022 at Prince of Peace Lutheran Church; 21 North Hill St., La Crescent, MN. 55947.  Pastor Anna Sorenson will officiate.  Military honors will be provided by Gittens-Leidel American Legion Post 595.  Private family burial will take place at a later date in Prince of Peace Cemetery.  Visitation will take place at the church on Thursday morning from 10am until the time of services.