Leland Karl Fels

I made the journey to my heavenly home on July 29th, 2024.

I was born on August 31st, 1939 in Shirley, WI. I attended Morrison Lutheran School and was able to complete 5th and 6th grade in the same year, as I was the only student in those grades. I graduated from East De Pere High School in 1956.

I married Neva, the love of my life, on June 17, 1961. We have enjoyed many wonderful adventures over the years with our sons, Steven (Natalia) Fels of Barcelona, Spain; and Keith (Ayesha) Fels of Las Vegas, NV; daughters Kari (Bill) Sikorski of Salt Lake City, UT; and Lisa (Vaughn) Travis of Salt Lake City, UT; and our grandchildren who give us so much joy, Matthias and Maksim Fels, Noah, Nathan and Hayden Sikorski, Phoebe Franklyn, and Adrian and Kiran Echavarria.

I was so happy to return to Wisconsin in early July and visit with my brother Lon (Lori) Fels, and sister Karen (Dan) Smet; sister-in-law, Pamela (Stephen) Mathis, and our many nieces, nephews, and cousins.

I deeply missed and now have joined my parents, Leland and Adeline (Schultz) Fels, father-in-law Albert Schultz and mother-in-law Geraldine Schultz, son Leland Fels Jr., sister Beverly Kiekhaefer and brother-in-law Ronald Kiekhaefer, brothers Bruce Fels and Daniel Fels, sister-in-law Carol Jean Laundrie and brother-in-law Gordon Laundrie.

As a teenager, I chose to serve in the US Navy. While in Washington DC, I was assigned to the honor guard for President Eisenhower and Queen Elizabeth's motorcade parade down Constitution Avenue, near the Capitol. I flew to Athens, Greece and started my travels aboard the aircraft carrier, the USS Franklin D. Roosevelt. With my training from NWTC as a machinist, I was put in charge of men who were all older than me. I enjoyed photography and took many photographs while at sea, which I loved sharing with my family. I entertained my family with slideshows and recalling stories that included beautiful ports of call, flight operations, refueling in rough seas, and occasionally putting out fires on the hanger deck, and other spaces onboard (My shipboard responsibilities included fireman). As a Petty Officer, I often piloted tenders to shore, to visit Mediterranean cities and see the sights with my shipmates.

After leaving the Navy, I was employed as a machinist supervisor at Green Bay Drop Forge. I later went into business for myself as a home construction contractor and subcontractor, before moving with Neva to Utah, where I worked at Butterfield Lumber as a construction materials estimator.

The world map I framed and hung at home is decorated with pins marking the many places we have traveled. Retirement gave us more time to enjoy traveling by car, plane, cruise, and riding vintage steam trains. Through the years, we enjoyed skiing on water and snow, hot air balloon and glider plane rides, and earned our skydiving license after 80+ jumps. My parents started my love of model trains with a set I received as a child, and Neva and I loved working together on a model train room in our local senior center. We also loved to attend bluegrass festivals and cowboy music and poetry shows.

My love of barbershop singing spanned 50+ years. I held various positions including the Land O'Lakes District President and Assistant Director for the Green Bay Baylander Chorus. Neva and I enjoyed the international singing events, performing at Green Bay Packer's games and the many cherished friendships we made over the years.

Though you can't see or touch me, I will be near.

And if you listen with your heart, you'll hear,

All my love around you soft and clear.

Till we meet again,

Lee

Memorial details: A Celebration of Life will be planned at a future date.