LEROY BRANDT

Funeral services for LeRoy Brandt were held Saturday, September 11 at the First Baptist Church in Avon. While the family greatly appreciates the gift of flowers and plants, memorial donations are preferred, which will be distributed among LeRoy’s favorite charitable organizations. Peters Funeral Chapel in Avon was in charge of arrangements.

LeRoy Edward Brandt was born March 16, 1940, to John and Helen (Radack) Brandt and passed away September 6, 2021, at Dougherty Hospice House in Sioux Falls. LeRoy graduated from Avon Public School in 1958 and served with the Springfield unit of the South Dakota National Guard from 1959 to 1965 and was a member of the Avon American Legion.

LeRoy married Mary Hornstra on November 25, 1960, at Friedensberg Mennonite Church and farmed northeast of Avon on the Brandt homeplace until 2016 when they moved to Sioux Falls to be closer to family. He and Mary were frequent attendees at Avon High School activities and were honored as Pirate Fans of the Year in the 95 - 96 school year.

LeRoy was baptized in 1951, becoming a member of Danzig Baptist Church. In 1998, he became a member of the First Baptist Church. He enjoyed and found great fulfillment in both churches teaching Sunday School and singing in the church choir and the Men’s chorus. While living in Sioux Falls, LeRoy attended Central Church and the First Baptist Church in Port Aransas, Texas.

LeRoy will be remembered for his love of God, family, farming, cooking and visiting. His love of land farming began when his Dad bought him his first tractor at ten years of age. After he retired from farming, he started gardening, enjoying seeing and sharing the fruits of his labor. This year, LeRoy planted the largest garden he’s ever grown, although he had planned to greatly scale back the size of his garden earlier this year.

For many years, LeRoy enjoyed cooking for the monthly prayer breakfast and the Awana supper. Regardless of where they lived, Le-Roy was a regular for the morning coffee group, enjoying the opportunity to visit with many friends and catching up on current events. He embraced the opportunity to meet new people, whether at his new home in Sioux Falls, in Port Aransas or attending various other events in the region. He and Mary spent many winters down in Port Aransas, Texas, so that LeRoy could indulge his love of fishing. In 2008, LeRoy and Mary spent the summer traveling to and touring Alaska, which LeRoy called a “once in a lifetime” trip.

He is survived by his wife, son Kevin (Luane) Brandt, Baltic and daughters Twila (Dan) Van Laar, Sioux Falls, and Cheryl (John) Pycha, Blair, NE; grandchildren: Ben Van Laar, Jonathan Brandt, and Taylor (Eric) Schramm; great granddaughter: Amelia Schramm; brothers: Byron (Goldie) Brandt, Canton GA and Paul (Kathy) Brandt, Brandon; sister-in-law: Helen (Dennis) Weeldreyer, Sioux Falls; and many nieces and nephews. He was preceded in death by his parents, stepmother Lillian and Inlaws, Harold and Sophia Hornstra.