Larry Leonard

Larry Lee Leonard, beloved husband, father, grandfather, and friend, passed away peacefully on March 1, 2025. Born on March 26, 1945, Larry grew up on the family farm north of Truman, Minnesota. Larry graduated from Truman High School in 1963 before pursuing his passion for agricultural mechanics at the Austin Area Vocational-Technical Institute in Austin, MN. On March 5, 1965, Larry married the love of his life, Marjorie Kaduce. Together, they built a life filled with love, hard work, and devotion to their family and their Christian faith. They raised three sons, Timothy, Thomas, and Joey. Tragically, Timothy passed away in 2017, a loss that Larry carried with him but faced with resilience and strength. 

Larry’s career was deeply rooted in the farm equipment repair industry. After working as a farm tractor mechanic in Minnesota and Iowa, he moved his young family to Green Bay, Wisconsin, in 1973 to work as a Service Representative for International Harvester. In order to spend more time with his family and less time on the road, the family moved to Waupaca, WI, where Larry worked for an IH dealership before launching his own business, Larry’s Farm Tractor Repair, in 1984. His reputation for honesty, skill, and commitment to helping farmers kept him busy until his retirement. 

Upon retiring, Larry and Marjorie relocated to Mena, Arkansas in 2008 where they built a home on a beautiful piece of land adjoining the Ouachita National Forest. There, he enjoyed the peace of nature, working on tractors in his shop, and spending time with friends from their church family. 

Larry was preceded in death by his parents, Wayne and Bernyce Leonard; his son, Timothy; his brother, Marlin "Dee" Leonard; and his sister-in-law, Donna Leonard.

He is survived by his loving wife, Marjorie; his sons, Thomas (Irene House) of Waupaca, WI, and Joey (Rachel) of Birchwood, WI; his cherished grandchildren: Karina (Ben Nuthals) Rasmussen of Green Bay, WI; Brittany (Race Miller) Leonard of Oshkosh, WI; Amanda (Ray) Marx of Onalaska, WI; Jacob (Tiffany Chater) Leonard of Honolulu, HI; and Benjamin Leonard of New Smyrna Beach, FL. He also leaves behind his adored great-grandchildren: Hailey, Aubrey, Alice, and Graham. Larry is also survived by his siblings, Suzanne (Hideo) Kawasumi of Tokyo, Japan; Nancy Harrison of Mankato, MN; and Dudley Leonard of Truman, MN; as well as his sister-in-law, Lucy Leonard of Sioux Falls, SD. Larry also leaves behind many brothers in law, sisters in law, nieces, nephews, extended family members, and friends who will cherish his memory. 

 A funeral service will be held on Friday, March 7, 2025 at 2:00 PM at the Zaharia Family Funeral Home in Truman, Minnesota. Interment will follow the service at the Antrim Public Cemetery in Lewisville, Minnesota under the direction of Zaharia Family Funeral Home in Truman, Minnesota. A visitation will be held two hours prior to the service.