MILITARY SERVICE: Leisz family members

Many other Leisz family members served in the U.S. military, or are serving today. Please send us information about your loved one(s) so we can honor their service here.

Theresa "Tracy" Minnichsoffer, daughter of Mary Leisz Minnichsoffer (1862-1903), wed August Thomas Klingelhoets on April 1, 1918 in Turtle Lake, Wisconsin. It was shortly before August's enlistment date in the United States military—May 14, 1918. He was 28 years old. VIEW AUGUST'S DRAFT REGISTRATION CARD HERE.

August was born on December 8, 1889 in Chanhassen, Minnesota, one of ten children of Mary and Bartholomew Klingelhoets. The 1910 U.S. Census showed the Klingelhoets family living in New Haven, Wisconsin, about 200 miles from Turtle Lake. August came to Turtle Lake in 1916, and there met his wife.

Unlike August, Tracy was born in Europe—on April 12, 1897. She immigrated to the United States at age 3, coming through Quebec, Canada in 1900 with her father John Minnichsoffer, mother Mary Leisz Minnichsoffer, and siblings Julia (b. 1886), Joseph Frank (b. 1889), Katarina (b. 1893), and Mary (b. 1894). Three years after the family arrived in Turtle Lake, their mother Mary Leisz Minnichsoffer died on Feb. 13, 1903. She had been sick with pneumonia for 13 days. After her death, Tracy went to live with the family of Leisz Brother Joseph, and her younger siblings were raised by other Leisz Brothers.

NOTE THIS INTERESTING FACT: Mary Leisz Minnichsoffer died 10 YEARS TO THE DAY after her father, family patriarch Leopold Leisz (b. 1835) perished in a tavern fire in Peregu Mare, Arad, Romania on Feb. 13, 1893. Leopold died on a Monday, but his daughter Mary died on a FRIDAY the 13th, 1903.

But let's get back to Tracy and August. Once August returned from World War I, the couple went on to have five children: Marie C. Klingelhoets Soltau (1919-2008), Loretta Anne "Pat" Klingelhoets Reuter (1921-2008), Louise Theresa Klingelhoets Schaubschlager (1923-2009), George Allen Klingelhoets (1926-2015), and Frank Lawrence Klingelhoets (1928-2008). 

August earned a living as a machinist most of his life. In 1915, he and a man named Steve Schramski built a small building to do automobile repair work. They worked together until 1917, when August's brother Art was discharged from service in World War I. Art moved to Turtle Lake, bought out Steve Shramski, and the business became known as Klingelhoets Brothers. Art kept the business running while August went to serve in World War I in 1918. When he was discharged later that same year, business was growing as more automobiles were coming into use in those years, requiring more repair space. So the Klingelhoets Brothers  built a large block building on Martin Avenue and opened the doors on August 5, 1922. They were also given a franchise to be a Chevrolet car dealership. The business was listed as "Klingelhoets Brothers, autos, garage, and tractors" in the 1921 Polk's Wisconsin State Gazetteer and Business Directory.

Like her own mother, Tracy Klingelhoets died young, in September 1942. Her cause of death was cancer. Her daughter Loretta cared for her mother during her illness. But August lived a long time, dying at age 88 in 1977. Both August and Tracy are buried at St. Ann's Cemetery in Turtle Lake, Wisconsin. They were members of St. Ann's Catholic Church, and August was a member of the Catholic Order of Foresters and Tracy was a member of the Rosary Society.