Leonard J. Macal

Thursday, October 4, 2018 4:27 pm

Leonard J. Macal, 92, of Cresco, died Tuesday, Oct. 2, 2018, at Evans Memorial Home, surrounded by his family. Visitation is from 3:30 to 7 p.m. Friday, Oct. 5, at Hindt-Hudek Funeral Home in Cresco. The memorial service is at Notre Dame Parish Saturday, Oct. 6, at 10 a.m., with visitation continuing for one hour prior to the service at the church.

Leonard John Macal was born Jan. 4, 1926, the son of William and Rose (Lukas) Macal on the family farm east of Ridgeway. Leonard attended the country school and after completing 8th grade, stayed home to help his mother and siblings farm, as they lost their Dad when he was eight years old.

For vacation they attended the Saturday night movies at the Ridgeway Town Hall and the wedding dances at the Inwood Ballroom in Spillville. It was there that he met his future wife, Doris. Leonard was married to Doris Schwade June 10, 1947, at St. Wenceslaus Church in Spillville. They lived on various farms in the Ridgeway-Spillville area until purchasing their own farm in 1967 northwest of Ridgeway. They were dairy and crop farmers with the help of their seven children.

Due to health reasons they sold their farm and moved to Cresco in 1985. Leonard worked for the former Carlson Co. for seven summers, delivered trailers locally for Featherlite, drove cars from the auction sales for Cresco Motor Co., and worked for Manpower at Camcar. He enjoyed working in their garden and his rhubarb patch and mowing the lawn on his John Deere lawnmower – anything to keep him busy, as he was always used to working.

Leonard and Doris were funeral ushers, gave rides to church or doctor appointments, and set up card parties at church. He liked dancing with his wife of 71 years and listening to good old time music. Leonard also enjoyed playing cards, reading, fishing, visiting with people, but most of all the family gatherings.

He is survived by his wife, Doris Macal, of Cresco; seven children: Dave (Karen) Macal of Ridgeway, Diane Graves of Belvidere, Ill., Donna (Ernie Hahn) Macal of Platteville, Colo., Darla (Wayne) Vokaty of Cresco, Denise (Fred Smith) Macal of Cresco, Dorene (Frank) McCoy of Leaf River, Ill. and Deb (John) Olsgard of Decorah; eight grandchildren: Mike (Mel) Macal, Jenni Shaw, Trevor (April) Graves, Sarah (Phil) Pfannebecker, Maddi McCoy, Gunnar McCoy, Jason (Jackie) Olsgard, and Ashley Olsgard; seven great-grandchildren: Jay, Jenaya, Abby, Darien, Liz, Jacob and Justin; three step-great grandchildren: Jesse, Justine and Jenny; one step-great great grandson, Gavin; two sisters, Irene Haskovec of Cresco and Helen (Henry) Schwartz of Seattle, Wash.; sisters-in-law, Imogene Macal, Rita Kuehner and Dolores Schwade; and brother-in-law, Ermin Schwade.

Leonard was preceded in death by his parents and father and mother-in-law, William and Ludmilla Schwade; son-in-law Gary Graves; two sisters, Agnes (Gerhard) Hellen and Evelyn (Vic) Kovarik; two brothers, William Jr. in infancy and Roy Macal; brothers and sisters-in-law: Mildred (Raymond) Riehle, Leonard Haskovec, Leonard Kuehner, Gene (Joan) Schwade, Mary Schwade, Lauretta (Paul) Barta and Lynn Schwade.