Leonard Blade Obituary - Visitation & Funeral Information

OBITUARY Leonard Carl Blade was born on July 27, 1926 in Holmes City, MN. He was the son of Carl and Myrtle (Hovda) Blade who owned the Blade?s Store in Holmes City. Leonard attended Holmes City grade school though the eighth grade and then graduated from Alexandria Central High School in 1943. He worked as a farm hand during and after high school with hopes of someday farming in partnership with Anna Mae?s brother Howard. Leonard enlisted into the United States Army in February of 1945. He served in the Asiatic-Pacific Theater, primarily in Okinawa as a part of the sanitation detachment doing malaria testing. Leonard was Honorably discharged in December of 1946 and then began to work for Gamble Robinson in Alexandria as a night warehouse foreman. In 1948 he went to work for Ludke and Co. as a salesman and in 1952 became manager and vice president. Leonard and partners purchased the company in 1972 and managed the business until 1990 when it was sold to Henry?s Food, Inc. Leonard continued to work for Henry?s Foods until his retirement in 2003. Leonard was united in marriage to Anna Mae Ecklund on June 14, 1950 at Trinity Lutheran Church in Holmes City, MN. Together they settled in Alexandria and began raising four children, Thomas, Sandra, Dean, and Carol. Leonard and Anna Mae were both long time members of Bethesda Lutheran Church. Leonard worked hard spending many hours growing and managing a successful business. In his time away from work he enjoyed hunting, fishing, watching baseball and football and driving the farm roads to check on the crops. Leonard died on Sunday, April 22, 2012 at Knute Nelson Memorial Home in Alexandria at the age of 85 years. He is survived by his children Thomas Blade of Alexandria; Sandra (Dave) Houglum of Yorktown, VA; Dean (Jane) Blade of Alexandria; Carol (Lee Lauderbaugh) Blade of Alexandria; grandchildren Michael, Katy, and Mark Houglum; David (Courtney) Nelson; and Kyle and Kalley Blade; Great Grandchildren Ian and Alayna Nelson; brother Orlin (LaVelle) Blade of Holmes City, MN; niece/godchild Annette Blade of Hawley, MN. He was preceded in death by his parents and his wife Anna Mae Blade. A funeral service was held on Saturday, April 28, 2012 at Bethesda Lutheran Church in Alexandria with the Reverends Kent Stillson and Paul Trenne officiating and with Mark Graff as organist. Interment was in the Rose Hill Cemetery near Holmes City, MN. Casket Bearers were Darrell Moritz, Doug Johnson, David Nelson, Michael Houglum, Mark Houglum and Kyle Blade. Anderson Funeral Home was in charge of arrangements. www.andersonfuneral.net