Obituary: LeRoy E. Huegli
LeRoy ErvinbrHuegli, age 83, of Osage, Iowa, went to be with his Lord & Savior onbrMonday, January 25, 2021, following a courageous seven-year battle with Alzheimer’s. brHe was surrounded by his wife, children, and grandchildren as he passedbrpeacefully in his home after celebrating his 83rd birthday the daybrprior.
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Funeral services will be held atbr2:30 p.m. Friday, January 29, 2021, at the Trinity Lutheran Church in Osagebrwith Rev. Bruce Kaltwasser officiating. Interment will be in the OsagebrCemetery. Visitation will be from 12:00 p.m. to 2:00 p.m. Friday at the church.brMask will be required for all the services.
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LeRoy, the sonbrof Ervin and Elna (Heth) Huegli, was born January 24, 1938, at West Union,brIowa. He spent his early childhood in Waterloo, Iowa and later moved tobrVinton, Iowa, where he graduated from Vinton High School. Uponbrgraduating, LeRoy attended Luther College in Decorah, Iowa. At LutherbrCollege, LeRoy earned a degree in mathematics with a minor in physics. brWhile at Luther College, he lettered in men’s basketball and track. Frombrthere, he went on to receive his master’s degree in mathematics from LouisianabrState University.
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While at LutherbrCollege, he met his beautiful and cherished bride, Sharon Sue Kusserow. brThey were united in marriage on August 6, 1960, at St. Paul’s Lutheran Churchbrin Eldora, Iowa. The couple made their home in Osage, where they raisedbrthree children: Beth, Lezlie, and Todd.
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LeRoy was bestbrknown to the Osage community as “Mr. Huegli,” beloved and legendary mathematicsbrand computer science teacher. He also served as women’s tennis coach frombr1975-1979. The classes he taught included: Trigonometry, Algebra I,brAlgebra II, Calculus I, Calculus II, Computer Science I, and Computer SciencebrII. He served students and faculty at Osage Community High School frombr1960-1999. Teaching was his passion, and students knew he set highbrstandards. Even though he had high expectations, he had a way to inspirebrstudents and make them believe they could be successful. Many former studentsbrcommented that these traits served them well into college and adulthood. brHe preached, “Without discipline there is no learning.” Upon hisbrretirement, he received hundreds of thank you letters from Osage alumni andbrfaculty. Many people praised him as a first-rate teacher, but he alwaysbrresponded by saying, “Well, I had first-rate students.”
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LeRoy was alsobrreferred to as the “Father of the Computer” in the Osage CommunitybrSchools. He ushered in the first dial-up computer, which was hooked tobrLuther College. From there, he dedicated himself to keeping Osage schoolsbrat the forefront of technology. He was the first teacher to installbrApple computers into Iowa Schools. In addition to teaching studentsbrcomputer skills, he also held night classes to educate the Osage staff andbrcommunity about computers. He taught the community the way he taught hisbrstudents, with patience and humor. When LeRoy retired in 1999, he wasbrreplaced by three staff positions: a mathematics teacher, a computer sciencebrteacher, and a technology coordinator.
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In 1970,brGovernor Robert D. Ray awarded LeRoy with the “Excellence in Science TeachingbrAward.” This statewide award recognized his contribution to his students,brcolleagues, and community in the field of Mathematics. In the same year,brhe received the “Iowa Outstanding Young Educator Award,” presented by the IowabrJaycees. Additionally, Osage Community Schools designated LeRoy “Teacherbrof the Year” in the 1969-1970 school year. When not teaching, LeRoy spent hisbrsummers painting houses with his three children and Norman Mielke. LeRoybrwas a hard worker and wanted to instill this trait in his children. He wasbrproud that the money they earned paid for their college tuition.
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LeRoy wasbrstrongly rooted in his love for Christ. Many testified that he was theirbrrole model in leading a Christian life. A faithful member of TrinitybrLutheran Church in Osage, he served in many leadership roles. He was abrmember of the Church Council, sang in the church choir, ushered, and heldbrnumerous other positions. He displayed words of faith and wisdom on hisbrmorning coffee cup, “Pray and let God worry.” He taught his threebrchildren the importance of tithing by having three different jars for allowancebrmoney: church, others, and self.
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His second lovebrwas family. He always told others to spend as much time with family asbrthey could. His love for family was as long as the Mississippi River,brwhere he fished as a boy with his family, as high as his God in heaven, and asbrwide as the United States that he traveled with his family while camping in thebrbig blue tent. He looked forward to family gatherings. He especiallybrenjoyed Saturday mornings when his children and grandchildren would gatherbraround his table to share conversation, coffee, and doughnuts. Whenbrtalking about his family, he would say, “The Lord has blessed us greatly.”
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LeRoy loved tobrconnect with people with a wave, a whistle, or a genuinely warm handshake. Hebralways looked you right in the eye with a smile, and enthusiastically said,br“Good morning.” He truly wanted everyone around him to have a goodbrday. The joy he displayed when hearing about the success of others wasbrone of his greatest attributes. He was likely to respond withbr“Fantastic!” Similarly, if someone was struggling, he was the first tobrencourage and reassure them, “Just keep working at it and it will come.”
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In hisbrretirement, he enjoyed the simple pleasures in life: get togethers withbrfamily, family vacations to Door County, a cup of coffee, a walk around thebrblock, a handful of peanuts, happy hour, sing-alongs, or lunch at Lucy’s withbrfriends and family.
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LeRoy trulybrlived a life centered in faith, family, and friends. He lived his life for Godbrand others. He always looked for the good in people. He taught people tobrbe civil, kind, compassionate, and understanding. He was an educator inbrthe truest sense of the word. As a role model and an inspiration, LeRoy’sbrlife made a positive impact on many, the impact of which will be felt forbrgenerations to come.
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He was precededbrin death by his parents.
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LeRoy isbrsurvived by his beloved wife, Sharon, and their three children: Beth (Kevin)brTubbs; Lezlie (Monte) Chisholm; Todd (Melissa) Huegli; 15 grandchildrenbrincluding: Eric (MacKenzie) Tubbs, Andrew Tubbs, Allie Tubbs, Blake Tubbs,brKelly Chisholm (Dan Feather), Katie (Jordan) Bielefeld, Kristie (Jeremy)brNobles, Kimberly (Jake) Wiseman, Kloe (Thomas) Randall, Klaire Chisholm (JacobbrRandall), Jim Chisholm, Joe Chisholm, Addison Huegli, Makenna Huegli, MallorybrHuegli; 14 great grandchildren including: William Bielefeld, MadelinebrBielefeld, Weston Bielefeld, Walker Bielefeld, Meredith Bielefeld, Mia Nobles,brBrielle Nobles, Beckham Nobles, Kennedy Nobles, Kinzli Wiseman, KlayderbrWiseman, Kelix Wiseman, Reagan Randall, Quinn Randall.
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LeRoy’s familybrwishes to thank Doctor Ross and all of the caregivers who supported LeRoy withbrhis wishes to remain in his home, specifically: Renee’s Loving Care, especiallybrDori Werner, John Olson, and Katie Fischer; Vern Steidl and Helping Hands;brMitchell County Home Health, especially Haley Kraus and Molly Hackenmiller; RyanbrBlake, Olivia Dodd, Avery Marley; and all his caring neighbors who kept abrwatchful eye on his walks around the block.
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In lieu ofbrflowers, the family will be donating all memorial money to Mayo ClinicbrAlzheimer’s Disease Research. If you prefer an online memorial donation,brthe website is philanthropy.mayoclinic.org/donatemcbrand please indicate the donation is in memory of Mr. LeRoy Huegli, designated for Alzheimer’s research.
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Champion Funeral Home, 641-732-3706
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