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LeRoy “Swede” Duane Walters

COMFREY — LeRoy “Swede” Duane Walters, age 88, of Comfrey, MN died on August 15, 2019, at Granite Falls Care Center.

Visitation will be on Saturday, August 24, 2019, from 9:30 am to 11:30 am at the New Hope Lutheran Church in Comfrey.

Service will be held at the New Hope Lutheran Church in Comfrey on at 11:30 am.

The clergy will be Pastor Jerome Klotz. Interment will be at the St. Paul Lutheran Cemetery in Springfield, MN following a luncheon at the church.

Arrangements are with the Sturm Funeral Home in Springfield, MN. On line condolences may be left for the family at www.sturmfh.com.

LeRoy Duane, son of Tena (Schafer) & Theodore Walters, was born on May 1, 1931 in Mt. Lake, MN where he grew up, only spending a couple of those years in Iowa. Swede worked for Les Hageman in 1948 and for John Valentine in 1949 until joining the service on May 8, 1952. He was honorably discharged from the Army on June 24, 1953. He married Marjorie Pauline Prechel, September 11, 1954 at Salem Lutheran Church, Comfrey. Ditch-digging construction work followed through 1958 and then on to full service station work on Highway 258, Comfrey, through 1962. His mechanic skills were appreciated at the Ford Garage in Comfrey until he returned to the service station in 1969. In 1984, he purchased the Mobil Full Service Gas/Repair Station. On May 1, 2002, he locked the door one last time and retired.

LeRoy took time to give back to the surrounding area as volunteer for Comfrey Hospital Days, a member of the Comfrey Volunteer Fire Department for 23 years, usher and member of and served on board of Salem Lutheran Church, member of New Hope Lutheran Church, served on St. John Lutheran Home Board of Directors, 1999 Trustee of the Year, Springfield, MN and member of Comfrey American Legion Post #244.

He enjoyed his retirement spending time at Ashby Resort on Pelican Lake with family and at Lake Florida (near Willmar) with special friend, Donna Hustad. Handy with a hammer, nails and paintbrush, the existing cabin, at Lake Florida, was given a facelift. Boating, fishing and just enjoying what nature had to offer each day, accompanied by many cups of coffee and conversation, filled him with delight. An occasional bus tour added to his list of life’s adventures and list of life’s acquaintances.

The support and friendship of Comfrey remembered him as he moved to Granite Ridge Senior Living, Granite Falls, MN in April, 2018. An additional move to Granite Falls Care Center, Granite Falls, MN in October 2018 provided him a new community of support and friendship.

Swede is survived by children; Kim (Jon) Anderson of Ortonville, MN; Kathy (Cletus) Hillesheim of Sanborn, MN; Daniel (Sheryl) Walters of Granite Falls, MN; Dana (Pat) Walters of Coon Rapids, MN; special friend, Donna Hustad of Granite Falls, MN; 9 grandchildren, 10 great-grandchildren; brothers; Eugene Walters of Mapleton, MN; Bill Walters of Fort Worth, Texas; many nieces and nephews. He was preceded in death by his parents; step-mom, Helen; his wife, Marjorie in 2000; sister, Marcella Dunlavey; brothers, Lawrence, Stanley and Dennis; half-sister, Wyona Balek; half-brothers, Harold Schulte and Norman Schulte.

Blessed be his memory.

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