Obituary for Donald L. Leslie
On Thursday June 15th, 2023, Donald Leslie, Loving husband, father of two, grandfather of eight and great-grandfather of two, passed away peacefully at the age of 94.
Don was born on January 2, 1929 in West Allis, to Mervin and Mildred Leslie. He had two younger brothers and one younger sister. His youngest brother died at a young age. He was born during the start of the Great Depression Era. He loved to tell stories of following the ice man so they could get chips of ice, or working on a relative's farm in the summers. He graduated from West Allis Central in 1948, served in the Navy Reserves and was drafted into the Army during the Korean War. He was injured in Alaska while training for the war and spent 18 months in the hospital recuperating.
He was married to the love of his life Barbara for 69 years and they had two children, eight grandchildren, and two great-grandchildren. He was a story teller, and artist, a painter, a stained-glass hobbyist, a mister fixit, and inventor of many things.
Donald was kind to everyone he met. He worked as a lifeguard, a salesman, an ambulance and hearse driver, and a machine repairman at Allis Chalmers and AO Smith. He retired from AO Smith early due to his bad leg from his army injury.
Don was preceded in death by his father Mervin Leslie, his mother Mildred Leslie, his stepmom Jen Leslie, his brothers, Gary and Maynard Leslie, his brother-in-law James Bencina, and his sister-in-law Judy Burroughs.
He is survived by his wife Barbara Leslie, his son Scott Leslie, his daughter Kim (Jeffrey) Anderson, his grandchildren Alexandra Leslie, Blake Leslie, Marques (Dana) Koller, Tyler Koller (Amanda Zielke), Nicole (Steven) Egan, Sarah Anderson (Drew Witlacil), Emily Koller, and Zachary Anderson, his great-grandchildren Isaiah Lopez and Braelon Egan, his sister Faye Story, his sister-in-laws Jean Leslie and Mary Felton and his many nieces and nephews.
Visitation Saturday, June 24, 2023 from 9 am to 11 am with Services at 11 am at Hartson Funeral Home, 11111 W. Janesville Rd, Hales Corners, WI.
Don was born on January 2, 1929 in West Allis, to Mervin and Mildred Leslie. He had two younger brothers and one younger sister. His youngest brother died at a young age. He was born during the start of the Great Depression Era. He loved to tell stories of following the ice man so they could get chips of ice, or working on a relative's farm in the summers. He graduated from West Allis Central in 1948, served in the Navy Reserves and was drafted into the Army during the Korean War. He was injured in Alaska while training for the war and spent 18 months in the hospital recuperating.
He was married to the love of his life Barbara for 69 years and they had two children, eight grandchildren, and two great-grandchildren. He was a story teller, and artist, a painter, a stained-glass hobbyist, a mister fixit, and inventor of many things.
Donald was kind to everyone he met. He worked as a lifeguard, a salesman, an ambulance and hearse driver, and a machine repairman at Allis Chalmers and AO Smith. He retired from AO Smith early due to his bad leg from his army injury.
Don was preceded in death by his father Mervin Leslie, his mother Mildred Leslie, his stepmom Jen Leslie, his brothers, Gary and Maynard Leslie, his brother-in-law James Bencina, and his sister-in-law Judy Burroughs.
He is survived by his wife Barbara Leslie, his son Scott Leslie, his daughter Kim (Jeffrey) Anderson, his grandchildren Alexandra Leslie, Blake Leslie, Marques (Dana) Koller, Tyler Koller (Amanda Zielke), Nicole (Steven) Egan, Sarah Anderson (Drew Witlacil), Emily Koller, and Zachary Anderson, his great-grandchildren Isaiah Lopez and Braelon Egan, his sister Faye Story, his sister-in-laws Jean Leslie and Mary Felton and his many nieces and nephews.
Visitation Saturday, June 24, 2023 from 9 am to 11 am with Services at 11 am at Hartson Funeral Home, 11111 W. Janesville Rd, Hales Corners, WI.