Leo Renberg

Leo Bert Renberg, 90, of Sheffield, passed away peacefully on March 24, 2022 at the Sheffield Care Center following a brief illness.  Funeral services will be at 10:30 a.m. on Saturday, April 2, 2022, at the Richland Lutheran Church in Thornton, Iowa.  Visitation is from 9:00-10:30, prior to the service.  Burial will be at Hillside Cemetery in Sheffield following the luncheon. Counsell Woodley Funeral Home of Sheffield is in charge of arrangements.

Leo was born July 7, 1931, at home in Comfrey, Minnesota, to Bert and Ina (Lenning) Renberg.  He attended country school in Ventura before graduating from Sheffield High School in 1949.  He served in the U.S. Army during the Korean War, achieving the rank of Corporal.  He was a member of the Richland Lutheran Church in Thornton since 1942.

Leo married Janiece Rasmussen on June 11, 1961, at the Richland Lutheran Church in Thornton, Iowa.  They had two children: a daughter, Lisa, and son, Bradley.

Farming was the occupation that chose Leo.  He farmed west of Sheffield up until his retirement in 1999.  Then they moved to Sheffield where they built a new house.

Leo was a family man. He dearly loved his wife, children, grandchildren and step grandchildren.  He was very proud of their accomplishments in life.  Leo enjoyed attending family reunions and Christmas Eve dinners at his sister, Janice, and brother in law’s home near Belmond.

Leo was a good steward of the land and took pride in his work.  John Deere was his machinery of choice and he enjoyed going to farm sales and could strike up a conversation with almost anyone.  He was a very kind and soft-spoken man who always saw the good in people.

Leo’s retirement years were spent in a very active life with Janiece.  They spent time during the winter months in Scottsdale, Arizona, where they would attend spring training games.  They also enjoyed traveling.

Leo was a very independent person after his wife’s passing in 2010 and lived in his Sheffield home up until his recent illness.  He enjoyed doing life’s simple things like driving to the post office to get his mail and driving to Fareway in Hampton to get groceries.  He also enjoyed watching sports on television and listening to local basketball games on the radio.  He loved visiting his children and grandchildren in various states and watching western movies with his son in law, Fred.  

Leo was a perfectionist and liked everything done in an orderly fashion.  Throughout his life he continued to do the daily exercises he had learned in the Army to keep fit.  In fact, he could still fit into his Army uniform prior to his illness and throughout his life.

Left to cherish his memory are his daughter; Lisa Wood of Aurora, Colorado and her children; Alexa and Jackson; son, Bradley of West Des Moines, Iowa and his wife, Sherri and their children; Ashley and Drew; sister; Janice (Roger) Fekkers of Belmond, Iowa and brother; Duane, of Sheffield, Iowa; sisters-in-law; Sue (Bob) Rube and Kathy (Dale) Brayton, both of Sheffield, Iowa and numerous nieces and nephews.

Leo was proceeded in death by wife, Janiece, parents, Bert and Ina Renberg, sisters, Delores Vosburgh and Arlene Renberg, son-in-law, Fred Wood, niece, Kim (Fekkers) Stromer, in-laws Earl and Dorothy Rasmussen and numerous aunts, uncles, and cousins.

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