Leo P. Brandt

LEO PETER BRANDT was born October 30, 1927 to Axel and Dagmar (Lund) Brandt in Arco, Minnesota. He was baptized and later confirmed at Danebod Lutheran Church in Tyler, Minnesota. He attended a country school for eight years and then attended the West Central School of Agriculture residential high school in Morris, Minnesota. After graduation, Leo farmed until he entered the U.S. Army. He was stationed at Fort Lewis Army Base in Washington State. He was sent to Korea and was an army cook, and was discharged in 1953. After returning home he returned to farming. On June 25, 1953 Leo married Lorraine Cyriacks at Immanuel Lutheran Church in Verdi Township. The couple was blessed with five children and 65 years of life together. They operated a dairy farm between Tyler and Lake Benton, and Leo served on the AMPI Dairy Board many years. After retirement he still farmed with sons Tom and Wayne, and enjoyed traveling with Lorraine, taking several trips to visit relatives in Denmark. Recently Leo was a resident of Colonial Manor in Balaton where on Monday, October 15, 2018 he died fifteen days before his 91st birthday.

Leo was a long-time member of St. John’s Evangelical Lutheran Church in Lake Benton where had served on the church council and participated in the Men’s Club, later joining Immanuel Lutheran Church in Tyler. He enjoyed dancing and playing cards, and for a number of years delivered Meals on Wheels.

Grateful for having shared his life is his wife, Lorraine; his children, Jane (Les) Johnson of Tyler, Thomas (Marlene) Brandt of Tyler, Wayne (Kathy) Brandt of Tyler, and Reid Brandt of Fairfax, Minnesota; 11 grandchildren, Kay (Joe Metzen) Brandt, CarriAnn (Todd) Caron, Dean (Danielle) Brandt, Lesley (Eric) Kaesermann, Hilary (Wade) Thooft, Julian and Allison Loescher, Lauren (William) Dunn, Brianna, Mariah, and Brandon Brandt; 15 great-grandchildren; and many other relatives and friends. He was preceded in death by his parents; brother, Anker Brandt; and a daughter, Jean Loescher.