Leon Joseph Straub

Leon J. Straub, 81, died Monday, June 10, 2019 at Appleton, WI as the result of a stroke and Alzheimer’s disease.

 Leon was born March 21, 1938, the son of Alfred G. Straub and Evelyn C. (Ritger) Straub at Marathon, WI. He was a graduate of Marathon High School and the Milwaukee School of Engineering. He served in the U. S. Air Force. On September 30, 1961 he married Carlene Dake in Milwaukee. In 1962 they moved to Oconto, WI where they had three children, Paul, Karen and Daniel. They later divorced. He worked at Holt Instrument Labs in Oconto. In 1977 he moved to Appleton and was employed at the Institute of Paper Chemistry until it moved to Atlanta. On January 3, 1981 he married Karen Heywood in Appleton.

He served in most local and several state offices in the Jaycees while in Oconto. When he reached the mandatory age of retirement, he received a JCI Senator Award, the highest recognition in Jaycees. After serving as the Wisconsin JCI Senate State President, he was active on the national level for seven years serving as a National Vice President, National Secretary and Ambassador to Canada. In 1973 he was named the Outstanding Young Man of Oconto County. He also served as the Vice President of the Oconto County Historical Society for many years.

In 1983 he was the founder of the Fox Valley Council of the National Association of Investment Clubs and served as its president for 14 years. He also started and chaired the annual investors fair in Appleton for many years. From 1988 to 1991 he served on the newly formed New York Stock Exchange Individual Investors Advisory Committee.

At St. Mary’s Catholic Church in Greenville he served as parish council president, trustee, lector and Eucharistic minister. Besides enjoying time fishing at their cottage at White Potato Lake in Oconto County and in Rockport, TX, he spent much of his spare time as the family historian and working on the family tree.

Leon was preceded in death by his son Daniel and is survived by his wife Karen, his son Paul (Dawn) of Omaha, NE and his daughter Karen (Steve) Forbes of Anamosa, IA. Grandchildren Rachel Weishan, Laura (Andrew) Hoffman and great-granddaughter Adalynn of Madison, WI, Alyssa Weishan of Milwaukee, Katrina Kwiatkowski of Green Bay, Nickolaus and Stephanie Straub of Fort Atkinson; a sister Marcy (Ed) Hack of Wausau, WI and brothers Fred (Rita) Straub of Maple Grove, MN and Joe (Anna) Straub of Marathon; and many nieces and nephews.

VISITATION will be on Wednesday, June 19, 2019 at Valley Funeral Home, 2211 N. Richmond St. Appleton, WI from 4:00pm to 7:00pm with a Prayer Vigil to be held at 7:00pm.

MASS OF CHRISTIAN BURIAL will be held at 11:00am on Thursday, June 20, 2019 at St. Mary of the Immaculate Conception Catholic Church in Greenville.  Burial will be in the parish cemetery immediately following the services. Family will be receiving guests starting at 10:00am.

In lieu of flowers, memorials to St. Mary of the Immaculate Conception Catholic Church.

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