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Note: Leonard was born on the family farm northwest of New Vienna, Iowa, the youngest child of Bernard and Anna (Pasker) Hermsen. He assisted his parents on the farm throughout his youth, while indulging in his favorite sports, baseball, boxing, hunting, and ice skating. His education was at the St. Boniface grade school, in New Vienna, which was available only for grades one through eight. Baseball was his favorite sport and he played on the town team, where he was known as a “long ball hitter,” He was married to Hilda M. Deutmeyer in a double wedding ceremony on February 7, 1934 at SS. Peter and Paul Catholic Church in neighboring Petersburg, Iowa. The other couple married with them that day was Hilda’s sister, Laurene Deutmeyer, to Leonard’s best friend, Lawrence Krapfl. Leonard’s baseball prowess caught the attention of the St. Louis Cardinals baseball team, and he was invited to St. Louis for a “tryout.” But he would have to pay his own way to Missouri, he was a newlywed, committed to a farm, and it was the depression era. He could not afford the trip. They farmed on land at Petersburg, next door to the farm of Hilda’s parents, Joseph and Rosa Deutmeyer. In 1966 they moved to their newly built home in Dyersville, and Leonard then was employed by the Modernfold Company in Dyersville until his retirement in 1976. He then worked for the Tauke Implement Dealership for a number of years. He is survived by a son, Donald (Pat) of Epworth, Iowa, two daughters, Mrs. Lillian (Robert J.) Steger of Dyersville, and Mrs. Kay (Jerry) Holtz of Ocean Springs, Ms., as well as seventeen grandchildren. Leonard was the last survivor of the ten children of Bernard and Anna Hermsen. Preceding him in death were five brothers: Edward, George, William. Gregor, and John, and four sisters: Hilda Boeckenstedt, Frances Nadermann, Pauline Hermsen, and Stacie Vaske. There were also two siblings who died in early childhood.
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