Leonard Horejsi

Leonard J. Horejsi, 90, died peacefully August 6, 2019, at Lakeview Hospital, Stillwater.

Leonard was born on October 4, 1928, in Silver Lake, Minnesota to Joseph and Elsie (Vorlicek) Horejsi and grew up in the family’s meat market. As a youth, he once had the job of painting the water tower in Silver Lake. He graduated from Silver Lake High School and was inducted into the US Army, serving in the 793rd field artillery battalion with the Allied occupation forces in Germany between 1951-1953. He was promoted to the rank of sergeant. Afterward, he earned his degree from North Dakota Agricultural College (now North Dakota State University). He worked for 30 years with the Minnesota Department of Transportation as an architectural draftsman, designing and inspecting maintenance buildings.

He married Lillian Hinkemeyer in 1954, and they had nearly 65 years together. They had 5 children. The couple has lived in Stillwater for the past 45 years in the house that Leonard designed and built almost completely by himself.

He enjoyed fishing, hunting, golfing, gardening, visiting the race track (sometimes winning!), photography, and cooking, making his own sausage and improvising recipes. He was admired for his skill at filleting the fish he and other family members caught at annual family vacations at Lake Koronis in Paynesville. He was fond of polka and country music. He followed Gopher sports teams, even when sometimes they were the “Go-flops.”

He was preceded in death by his parents and daughter Diane.

He is survived by his wife Lillian, his children Gary, Daniel (Josie), Gail (Ralph) Issa, and Colleen (Alan) Ware, his sister Marilyn (Bob) Schmidt, 10 grandchildren, 7 great-grandchildren, nieces, and nephews.

Gathering of Family and Friends from 2:00PM - 4:00PM at BRADSHAW CELEBRATION OF LIFE CENTER with a Time of Sharing at 3:00PM. Interment will be at Fort Snelling National Cemetery at a later date.

In lieu of flowers, memorials preferred to Lakeview Homecare and Hospice, which provided compassionate support and care for Len; University of Minnesota Masonic Cancer Center, which focuses on the causes, prevention, detection, and treatment of cancer; or Minnesota Land Trust, which works to protect and restore natural places so we can all enjoy the out-of-doors that Len enjoyed so much.