Mass of Christian Burial will be 11 a.m. Monday, Oct. 25, at St. Mary’s Catholic Church in New Ulm. Burial will follow in the New Ulm City Cemetery with full military honors provided by the New Ulm Area Comrades of Valor Honor Guard. For those unable to attend in person, there will be a live feed of the service via the Minnesota Valley Funeral Home’s Facebook page.

Visitation will be 2-5 p.m. Sunday and 9 to 10:30 a.m. Monday at the Minnesota Valley Funeral Home NORTH CHAPEL in New Ulm. The St. Patrick’s Council of the Knights of Columbus will pray the rosary at 5 p.m. Sunday at the funeral home. To leave an online condolence for his family or to sign the guest book go to www.mvfh.org.

Leo was born Dec. 14, 1930, in New Ulm to Leopold and Emily (Klinkhammer) Traurig. He was baptized in the Catholic Church and remained a devout Catholic throughout his life. Leo was a longtime member of St. Mary’s Catholic Church in New Ulm where he served a stint as president, teacher of CCD and confirmation classes, and as a frequent lector, among other committee and council positions. Leo attended St. Mary’s Grade School and graduated from New Ulm High School in 1948. He earned a B.S. in education from Mankato State in 1957 and an M.S. in school counseling from Mankato State in 1965. Leo served four years in the United States Air Force, primarily as a radar specialist, where he earned the rank of Staff Sergeant. While in the service Leo played service football and particularly enjoyed sharing stories about his time in Tripoli, Libya.

Leo met the love of his life, Patricia (Patty) Reinhart and they were married on June 3, 1961, at Holy Trinity Cathedral Catholic Church in New Ulm. They were blessed with three children, David, Barbara, and Kari. Leo lived for Patty and his three children. Leo loved his career in education where he served as a business and social studies teacher, junior high counselor, football coach, and baseball coach. He began his teaching career with the Elkton (MN) Public Schools in 1957, where he taught business and coached football. In 1961, he took his teaching and coaching expertise to Cathedral High School in New Ulm, where he taught business and coached football and baseball. In 1964 Leo assumed a social studies and football coaching job with the Fairmont (MN) Public Schools. In 1966, Leo had the opportunity to return home to New Ulm where he assumed his dream job of being a junior high school counselor and high school football coach. During his career, he served on and was recognized by many education committees. He was a member of the Minnesota School Counselors Association and life-member of the Minnesota State High School Coaches Association from whom he was the proud recipient of the Butch Nash Award for coaching in 1988.

Leo will be remembered for his deep love of family, especially his five grandchildren. They were his pride and joy, and he and Patty spent many hours in the car traveling to their various activities. He will also be remembered for his passion for teaching, coaching, and helping young people, and his witty sense of humor. He was an avid runner and enjoyed playing cribbage with brothers, grandkids, and friends. In retirement Leo and Patty enjoyed traveling to see their grandchildren and three trips to Switzerland. He loved sports and particularly enjoyed cheering for all Gopher teams, the Vikings, Twins, St. John’s University football, and his beloved Notre Dame Fighting Irish. He served as a knowledgeable and endearing New Ulm tour guide by providing Chamber of Commerce tours of New Ulm. He loved bragging to the tour guests about New Ulm and visiting with new people from throughout the upper Midwest. He was a lifetime member of the St. Patrick’s Council of the Knights of Columbus and the American Legion. He was also a member of the German Bohemian Society, the Herman Society, the New Ulm Club, and served on the New Ulm Park and Recreation Committee. Leo will be greatly missed by all who knew him.

Leo was preceded in death by his parents, Leo Sr., and Emily (Klinkhammer) Traurig; his brothers, Dennis and his wives Verna and Marian, Don (Eleanor), Tom, and Mike, and his sister Clarice (Mike) Jacobs.

Survivors include his wife of 60 years, Patty of Plymouth; his children, David (Kelly) of Kimball, Barb (Chace) Anderson of Maple Grove and Kari (Joe) Cotter of Lakeville; five grandchildren: Paul and Emily Anderson of Maple Grove, Kenzie and Jacob Traurig of Kimball and Alex Cotter of Lakeville; sisters-in-law Kitty Traurig of Long Beach, California, Sharon Traurig of Phoenix, Arizona and many nieces and nephews.

In lieu of flowers, memorials are preferred to New Ulm Public School, New Ulm Area Catholic Schools and the Brown County Historical Society.

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