Leonard Kristiansen

Leonard Kristiansen, 85, of Nashua, died April 1, 2010 at the Floyd County Medical Center Hospice Unit, Charles City after a 14-year extended illness. Services for Leonard Kristiansen will be held Tuesday, April 6, 2010 at 10:30 a.m. at St. John Lutheran Church, Nashua. The Reverend Tom Hagen will preside. Musical selections at the funeral will include a favorite family hymn, “Whispering Hope”, on guitar by Leonard’s daughter, Laurie; violin by Leonard’s niece, Lisa Mysnyk of Iowa City, and flute by Rhonda Westergard, Charles City. Burial will be in the Greenwood Cemetery, Nashua, with military graveside rites conducted by the Nashua VFW Post #6792. Friends may call at the Hugeback-Chenoweth Funeral Home in Nashua from 4:30 to 8 p.m. Monday, April 5 and for an hour before the services at the church. Memorials may be directed to the family. Leonard was born on March 6, 1925 in Cedar Falls, the first generation son of Danish immigrant parents, Neils Kristiansen and Marian (Marne)(Bryhl) Kristiansen. He was baptized in the Danish Lutheran Church in Cedar Falls and confirmed at St. John Lutheran Church in Nashua in 1939. Leonard received his early education in Spring Lake country school, Cedar District country school and Hogan country school. He graduated from Nashua Community High School in 1943 and entered the United States Army Air Force in December, 1943. Leonard wanted to train as a pilot and passed all the requirements for pilot instruction, but was later informed that pilots were not needed at that time, he then trained as an aircraft sheet metal worker. He served in Okinawa repairing B-29’s that were returning from air raids in Tokyo, Japan. His camp was on the present day site of Kadena Air Field. Leonard was on-board ship when the last kamikaze attack was made over the American Fleet off Okinawa. Leonard was honorably discharged April 10, 1946 at Ft. Leavenworth, KS, with the rank of sergeant. Leonard came home to Nashua and farmed with his father, Neils, southwest of Nashua. On October 10, 1953 he married Mary Jean Bennor of Nashua at the Little Brown Church. The Reverend Glenn Utterback performed the ceremony, along with Leonard’s brother-in-law, Burton Schwerin, of Titonka. To this union two daughters were born, Laurie and Sara. After they were married, Leonard and Jean farmed southwest of Nashua for 16 years. In 1968 they moved to Jean’s family farm north of Nashua where they built a new home. Leonard farmed, had a dairy herd and raised Black Angus cattle. Leonard was an excellent mechanic and all-around “fix-it” man. In addition to farming, he was employed at the former Oliver Corporation, as inspector. He was later hired at Hydrotile, of Nashua, where he was a finish welder. He was part of the crew that earned an “E” for Excellence Award from the State of Iowa. Leonard retired from Hydrotile in March of 1990 after 23 years. Leonard farmed until 1997 when the complications of a brain tumor made it impossible to continue. He was member of John Lutheran Church, Nashua and the Nashua Ralph Nicholson VFW post. Leonard loved working outside and especially enjoyed spending time in the farm’s timber, cutting wood. He and his wife Jean worked together on the farm, sharing many activities, including wood cutting and gardening. In earlier years he enjoyed model railroading, building a model railroad. Leonard’s pride and joy was his family, especially his only grandchild, Jeanne Edson, of Nashua. Together, they built snowmen, worked in the garden, planted and harvested potatoes, built fairy gardens, and played checkers. Another favorite past-time for Leonard was visiting with friends and family and reminiscing. Leonard is survived by his wife of 56 years, Jean; two daughters, Laurie Kristiansen, Nashua, and Sara (Dale) Jansen, Cedar Falls; and his granddaughter, Jeanne Edson, Nashua. Also, one sister, Edna Mae (Dr. James) Johnson, Cherokee, a sister-in-law, Carol (Bennor) Fisher of Plymouth, and several nieces and nephews. He was preceded in death by his parents, one brother, Harold Kristiansen; two sisters, Evelyn Kristiansen, and Anna Schwerin; and a brother-in-law, Clair (Skip) Fisher.