Rev. Leon L. Leeds' Obituary
Leon Leeds, age 90 of Waupaca, WI passed away on Tuesday, November 26, 2024 at Theda Care Medical Center in Waupaca. Leon was born in Cherokee, Iowa on April 14, 1934, he was the 7th of a family of 10 and raised on a farm and worked for different farmers from the age of 14-19. At the age of six on the 6th of April, Palm Sunday, he responded to the invitation at church and trusted Christ to save him from his sins, believing with all his heart that Jesus Christ was the Son of God and that he paid the price for his sins. The next Sunday he was baptized and become a member of the Church.
On December 29, 1952, he lost the ends of his two fingers in a farm accident. He spent a night in the hospital and his pastor gave him a New Testament that night. He told the Lord that he would read it through for himself. In February, while reading John 15:16 he knew God had chosen him to prepare for full time Christian service. Leon enrolled in Northwestern Bible College, in Minneapolis, MN, the fall of 1953, and received his B.A. degree in Bible in May 1957.
It was in college where he met Dorothy Curtis and they were married on July 20, 1957 in Huntley, MN where her father was the pastor. That fall, Leon enrolled at Central Theological Seminary and received his master in sacred theology in May of 1961. During his seminary years he served with his father-in-law at the First Baptist Church in Hastings, MN where he pastored. While there he was in an apprenticeship for being a pastor. The First Baptist Church of Hastings, MN ordained him to the Gospel Ministry on May 17, 1961.
Pastor Leeds has two children, a son Pastor Daniel Leeds and his wife Linda (Fond du Lac, WI) where he is the pastor at Trinity Baptist Church. Leon’s daughter Ruth Bergen and husband Jon Bergen, pastor a Baptist Church in Seeley Lake, Montana.
Rev. Leeds has been a pastor in three churches. First Baptist Church of Lake Benton, MN, from 1961 to 1966; First Baptist Church in Stewartville, MN from 1966 to 1975 while there he started a Christian School and pastored First Baptist Church of Waupaca, WI, from 1975 to 1987 where he also started a Christian School. In each of the churches he pastored their attendance doubled while he was there. He also administrated two Christian Schools and encouraged five other churches to start Christian Schools. Pastor Leeds also served on the board of the Minnesota Association of Christian Schools as well as board of the Wisconsin Association of Christian Schools. In January of 1987, Pastor Leeds and his wife Dorothy became the state mission director for the Wisconsin Fellowship of Baptist Churches until 2001. During this time Rev. Leeds helped to start eight Baptist Churches in WI. In 1992, Rev. Leeds received an Honorary Doctor of Divinity from Marnatha Baptist University.
After Rev. Leeds first wife Dorothy went to be with the Lord, he felt he should retire from being the Mission Director of the WFBC. He then worked for one year as visitation pastor at Calvary Baptist Church of Kaukauna, a church he had helped to start in 1981 while he pastored at First Baptist Church in Waupaca, WI. It was there where he met his present wife, Bertha and was married on June 1, 2002. They were called to be the assistant pastor to work with Pastor Larry Gross with the visitation and to over see the senior citizen ministry of the First Baptist Church of Waupaca. When Pastor Gross retired in October of 2014, Rev. Leeds also retired. However, he has continued to work with the seniors and has held Bible studies with several people.
Funeral Service will be held at 12 Noon on Saturday, November 30, 2024 at First Baptist Church in Waupaca. Visitation will be held from 10 AM until time of service at the Church. Burial will be held at Estabrook Cemetery in Fond du Lac, WI at a later date. Holly Funeral Home of Waupaca is assisting the family with arrangements.
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