Obituary: Victor Frank Leake - Class of 1944

MADISON/MONONA/OREGON - Victor Frank Leake, age 83, passed away on Sunday, Sept. 19, 2010, at Stoughton Hospital, after a stroke with major complications.

He was born on Nov. 29, 1926, the son of Earl and Ida (Huebner) Leake. Victor graduated from Madison Central High School in 1944. Victor proudly served in the Army Air Corps during World War II. He was united in marriage to Kathryn Jean Reddell on July 12, 1947. Victor was employed by the Wisconsin Telephone Company for 34 years, before early retirement in 1982. He was a lifelong resident of Madison/ Monona area, recently residing at Main Street Quarters in Oregon. Victor was an avid fan of the Badgers, Brewers and Packers and enjoyed traveling with his wife, Kathryn, especially to watch the Badgers play. Victor was a lifelong member of St. John's Lutheran Church, Madison, and a longtime member of The Telephone Pioneers of America, and the Elk's Lodge No. 410.

Victor is survived by, and will be greatly missed by, his loving wife of 63 years, Kathryn; children, Sandra Kaye (Gary) Shackelford of Oregon, Thomas Earl Leake (Margaret Toso) of Long Beach, Calif., and Tracey Jean (Fred) Kaltenberg of Sun Prairie; grandchildren, Rebecca (Fred) Clark of Oregon, Sara Cavanaugh (Clint Cockroft) of Monroe, Matthew and Michael Kaltenberg of Sun Prairie; two great-grandchildren, Bailey Clark and River Cockroft, who will miss their "Big Papa"; sister, Joyce (John) Skelly of Houston, Texas; sister-in-law, Gladys Leake of North Carolina, and many cousins. He was preceded in death by his parents; and brother, Earl Leake.

Private services will be held. Interment will be in Dodgeville, at a later date. Memorials may be made to Main Street Quarters Inc., 354 N. Main St., Oregon, WI 53575; HospiceCare Inc., 5395 E. Cheryl Parkway, Fitchburg, WI 53711 or Stoughton Hospital, 900 Ridge St., Stoughton, WI 53589.

A special thank you to the staff at Main Street Quarters Inc., HospiceCare of Janesville, and the staff at Stoughton Hospital for all their tender loving care.

Victor had the following thought in mind, "If you remember me, remember me for the good things that I have done, not the dumb ones."

Gunderson Stoughton, Funeral and Cremation Care; 1358 Highway 51;(608) 873-4590

Originally published in the Wisconsin State Journal on September 26, 2010 (submitted by Michael Vahldieck, Class of 1968)