2023 LEISZ FAMILY REUNION IN TURTLE LAKE, WISCONSIN—A BIG SUCCESS!
"A life-changing experience"
Our 2023 Leisz Family Reunion in June broke attendance records and was a HUGE success!
Stay tuned for more to come.
2023 LEISZ FAMILY REUNION IN TURTLE LAKE, WISCONSIN—A BIG SUCCESS!
Our 2023 Leisz Family Reunion in June broke attendance records and was a HUGE success!
Stay tuned for more to come.
DESCENDANTS OF LEISZ BROTHER ANTON (1880-1942) VISIT THE SCHOOLHOUSE
HIS CHILDREN ATTENDED IN THE 1920s
Barbara is one of 11 children of our cousin Billy Waters, who passed away in December 2022. As she and her siblings go through her Dad's possessions, Barbara came upon a treasure trove of old letters and photos from the 1930s and 1940s—communications between the Leisz family in Turtle Lake and Barbara's branch of the family which moved to Cleveland in November 1919. Barbara shipped these precious mementos to us, and her box just arrived on Feb. 27, 2023! What's in it?
Letter from Anton's daughter SOPHIA "BOBBI" LEISZ KELLY from 1942 about her father's failing health, and with regards for the passing of his brother Leisz Brother Joseph that March.
Letter from Gladys Leisz in 1942 after her father, Leisz Brother ANTON, died, telling her Uncle Joe's family about his final days.
Letter from Loretta "Pat" Klingelhoets Reuter about her mother's last days in 1942, her mom is TRACY MINNICHSOFFER KLINGELHOETS.
Anna Minnichsoffer (b 1902) writes from St. Paul to her 1st cousin Marie Leisz (b 1901) in Cleveland. Both are single young women, and Anna's letter asks Marie about dances and reminisces about going to shows together before Marie's family left Turtle Lake for Cleveland in November 1919.
Letter from Tony Leisz (1902-1966), son of Leisz Brother FRANK, about Frank's last days in 1949, plus his obituary.
Letter from JULIA MINNICHSOFFER DONAKER to her Uncle Joe's family in Cleveland after he died in 1942. Her Uncle Joe is Leisz Brother Joseph.
Original yellowed fragile newspaper clipping of the obituary of eldest Leisz Brother JOHN from 1939, made the front page of Turtle Lake Times.
Letter from Leisz Brother ANTON in Apr 1942 about the passing of his brother Joseph in March, and a receipt for paid life insurance policy for Joseph's wife in the amount of $2.39. Anton didn't know it at this time, but he would pass away July 28 that same year.
Two letters written by Leisz Brother JOSEPH in 1934 to his daughter Anna, who was hospitalized after being struck by a car in Chicago where she was visiting our Leisz cousins Kay Rudd and Mary Fritch. He's asking about the attorney and lawsuit against the driver. Anna Leisz ended up winning the lawsuit, and the financial settlement from it actually saved the Joseph Leisz home at 10326 Joan Ave. in Cleveland from being foreclosed on during the Great Depression. FYI these are the very first letters we've found that are written by Leisz Brother Joseph!
Billy Waters, the eldest male of our entire extended Leisz Family, passed away at age 91 on Monday, December 12th at his home in Cleveland. Billy is the eldest grandchild of Leisz Brother Joseph (1868-1942). Billy and wife Cathie have 11 children, 59 grandchildren, and 18 great-grandchildren. See below for more.
Billy's maternal grandfather, Leisz Brother Joseph, moved his wife and six children from Turtle Lake, Wisconsin to Cleveland, Ohio. Here's the backstory.
Billy tells the story of how he got in trouble as a child over a flag his Uncle Jack Leisz sent him during World War II.
Billy sang and played the ukulele for more than 70 years, often entertaining family members...and himself!
Inherited from his maternal grandfather Joseph Leisz (1868-1942), the stock says William Parkhurst, machine-made, on this 32-in barrel double shotgun. Joseph used the gun on his farm in rural NW Wisconsin in the early 20th Century.
Billy Waters reads a note from his Aunt Anna Leisz Linden to her brother Jack in the Army. She had sent Jack copies of his nephew Billy's sketches, and artistic talent runs in the Leisz family.
Customized for the Waters Family, and read by Billy for posterity. It's based on "Twas the Night Before Christmas."
A ride with Billy Waters around West Park and the near West Side in Cleveland, Ohio. He talks a lot about his Uncle Jack, who was like a big brother to BIll, just 10 years older.
After he retired from NASA, Billy continued to teach science at local schools and coach youth athletic teams. Here he reads a thank you note from a student of years ago.
Billy and Cathie look at items in a Christmas gift basket from their son Bill, while grandchildren Monica and Albert look on.
Billy reads a customized Waters version of "The 12 Days of Christmas".
Cathie goes about straightening in the dining room while her husband Billy Waters serenades her on his father's old ukulele.
A Book of Life about Grandpa Joseph Leisz (1868-1942), in process by his first cousin Denise Leisz Pazur.
More ukulele from Billy at his home in West Park, a suburb of Cleveland.
Charlie Waters plays his Grandpa Waters' ukulele that belonged to Bill's own' father William Edward Waters.
What does Christopher Columbus have to do with the Third Order of St. Francis? Watch the video to find out.
GLADYS WAGNER BROKER (b. May 29, 1932) is the granddaughter of Leisz Brother Michael (1882-1944), the youngest of the six Leisz Brothers. She is the MATRIARCH OF OUR ENTIRE EXTENDED LEISZ FAMILY, as Marian is the eldest female of all living Leisz descendants. Gladys was born in Turtle Lake to Michael's oldest daughter Elizabeth Rosalia Leisz Wagner (1911-2006), and has four siblings, all brothers, three deceased. Gladys is shown here with granddaughter Alicia Broker Cooksey, daughter of Gladys' youngest child Michael. Visit Gladys on Facebook. She's a big fan of the Minnesota Twins and Green Bay Packers, and lives in Circle Pines, Minnesota.
JOAN DAVIS KLEINHENZ (b. Oct. 4, 1932) is the second-born grandchild of Leisz Brother Joseph (1868-1942). Joan's mom was our noteworthy ancestor Barbara Leisz Davis (1905-1966) who purchased the house next door with money she inherited from her mother—and without telling her husband Charlie until the deal was done! Joan was the first of her generation to marry, in 1950 when she was 17 years old. She wed Henry Kleinhenz (1928-2020), and remembers the local Catholic bishop telling her and her folks that the marriage would never last. Joan and Hank proved him wrong, married for 70 years and enjoying five children together. She is shown here with 1st cousin Denise Leisz Pazur.
STUART JOSEPH LEISZ (b. Aug. 5, 1931) is the only son of Joseph Frank Leisz (1906-1962), one of six children of Leisz Brother Frank. Stuart's father was the baby of the Frank Leisz family. Stuart is shown here with three of his six children (from left) Mary Jo Leisz Hensel, Robert Charles Leisz, and Barbara Leisz. History repeats itself: just like his grandpa Frank (1875-1949), Stuart had six children - four sons and two daughters! Stuart is retired from a career at Cargill, and lives in Eden Prairie, Minnesota.
THOMAS A. LEISZ (b. Oct 5, 1939) is the grandson of Leisz Brother Anton (1880-1942), and the first-born child of Anton's son August Jacob Leisz (1914-1998). Tom was born in Almena, Barron County, Wisconsin to Augie and wife Verena (1918-2014). Tom's siblings are Patricia Leisz Kennedy, Carol Jean Leisz Weber, Diane Leisz Bussewitz, Gene Leisz, and David Leisz. This photo shows Tom with sister Pat (left) and Diane.
DONALD ALLEN FRITCH (b. July 29, 1939) is the only living grandchild of Leisz Brother Leopold (1863-1925). Don's mom Mary Ethel Leisz Fritch (1907-1998) is one of four daughters of Leopold who lived to adulthood. Don is a retired commercial airline pilot and lives in Key Largo with wife Marty. Check them out on Facebook. Above, Don and a cutout of his maternal grandpa Leopold Leisz at the 2018 "Homeward Bound" Leisz Family Reunion. There sure is a family resemblance!
SHARON DONATELLE DROEGE (b. Nov. 25, 1943) is the great-granddaughter of Leisz Brother John (1861-1939). Her maternal grandpa is John Franklin Leisz (1895-1977), one of two sons of Leisz Brother John. John Franklin and his wife Stella had two sons and two daughters; one of them, Agnes Leisz Donatelle (1923-1994), is Sharon's mom. Sharon lives in Barron County, Wisconsin, and winters in Arizona.
JAMES MARTIN DONAKER (b. June 26, 1937) is one of three sons of Jacob Donaker (1909-1987), who is the grandson of Mary Leisz Minnichsoffer, and son of Mary's eldest child Julia Minnichsoffer Donaker (1886-1960); Julia was the firstborn grandchild of her generation, that is, the first grandchild of Leopold Leisz (1835-1893) and his wife Anna Maria "Mary" Schmidt Leisz (1840-1918), parents of the six Leisz Brothers and their sister Mary.
AnnaMaria Leisz married Edward Meyer on June 15, 1927. She is the eldest daughter of Leisz Brother Leopold, born in 1902 and coming to America with her family when she was a two-month-old infant.
Gladys Wagner Broker turned 88 years young on May 29th. She is the member of the Michael Branch of our family. Gladys is shown above with her granddaughter Alicia Cooksey.
New mother Kayla Crawford Hoyt is preserving a Leisz family tradition among four generations: This cousin and her Aunt Leslie Kay Crawford have a story to share.
Marianne Leisz Kasarda and husband Bob celebrated 60 years of marriage on April 23rd, 2020. Marianne is the granddaughter of Leisz Brother Joseph. She and Bob created the wonderful Leisz Family Immigration video HERE.
The month of May marked 75 years since the end of World War II. Key to victory were millions of women who went to work in wartime factories. One of them was Kay Leisz Rudd, daughter of Leisz Brother Leopold.
Gladys Leisz Wick grew up on a Turtle Lake dairy farm, as did many of our ancestors. Gladys (1924-2010) is one of six girls born to Anton Leisz and wife Sophia Donaker. It was tough work...click the button below to hear Gladys' sister Marian talk about it in 2019.
What's it like to grow up in a house as one girl with SIX BROTHERS?! Find out from Leisz cousins Barbara Davis Miller (shown above), great-granddaughter of Leisz Brother Joseph; and Kat Hammang Hawkins, granddaughter of Leisz Brother Anton.
Sisters Julia (left) and Sophie, circa 1930, granddaughters of Mary Leisz Minnichsoffer. Born on the farm of their mother Julia Minnichsoffer Donaker, their lives took different paths.
Our very first Leisz Story Lore was just launched in Feb. 2020. Here in a brief video, our cousin Tony Minnichsoffer tells the story of how his grandma and grandpa met at the turn of the 20th Century. Watch for more...coming soon!
Julia was 20 years old when her mother had a baby at age 44. The baby would be the youngest of 11 children—and go on to be the matriarch of our extended Leisz family.
During the 1960s, great-grandchildren of Mary Leisz Minnichsoffer spent some of their teen years in Europe with their enlisted father.
John Franklin Leisz, son of Leisz Brother John, became enamored with a local school teacher named Estella Paul. Read the story of their courting, marriage, and more.