It is with great sadness that we announce the passing of Janice Marie Leonard. On Aug. 7, 2023, she peacefully passed away at the Kinnic Care Center in River Falls.
Born April 24, 1940 in West Union, Iowa, she was the youngest of five born to Joseph and Josephine Blockhaus Schmelzer.
Janice moved with her parents to Red Wing, Minn. in the late 1950’s, graduating from Ellsworth High School in 1959. After graduating from high school, she worked at a bakery in Red Wing. On April 23, 1960, she married Allan Leonard. They purchased a 100-acre farm where they made their home, on the farm they raised their three children: Dick, Julie, and Joe. Janice enjoyed gardening and canning while also tending to the beef cattle, pigs, horses, chickens, and rabbits. Janice deeply loved her family, and her animals.
In the late 1970’s she worked at the Farmer’s Union in Ellsworth. In the mid 1980’s she began working at Smead Manufacturing and worked there for over 20 years.
Janice is survived by her children Dick (wife, Lori), Julie McIntosh (husband, Steve), Joe (wife, Tammy); grandchildren Levi, Logan, Ali, Cody, Collin, Adrian, Cole, Abby, Gavin, and Liam; great grandchildren Kylie, Keira, Ila, Kamille, Adelia, Elizabeth, and Kasen. She was preceded in death by her parents, Joseph and Josephine as well as siblings Tommy, Joe, Richie and sister Georgie Ann. Janice lost her husband of 63 years, Allan on June 20, 2023.
Services are entrusted to O’Connell Family Funeral Home and Cremation Services of Ellsworth, www.oconnellfuneralhomes.com, 715-273-4421
