Leonard W. Rost
Leonard Wayne Rost was born January 10, 1945, in Glenwood, Minnesota to Arthur and Dolores (Jung) Rost. He died at the age of 78 at Hill Country Memorial Hospital Hospice Unit in Fredericksburg, Texas, on March 3, 2023 after a battle with a broken hip which turned into sepsis.
Leonard went to rural school in Westport Township until it was time to enter eighth grade. In 1963 he graduated from Glenwood, Minnesota, high school.
Leonard loved farming and grew up on his family’s farm. He also enjoyed dancing and spent many weekends at Lakeside Ballroom in Glenwood. It was there he met his wife-to-be, Judith Thoennes.
They were married on September 23, 1967.
After several years working on the family farm Leonard and Judith moved to Alexandria to start working with his father-in-law at Thoennes Plumbing and Heating. After a few years they moved to Marshall, Minnesota, where Leonard became warehouse manager at the family’s wholesale plumbing business. It was there he obtained his master plumbers license.
In 1976 they moved to Brooten, MN, where he and his wife started Len’s Plumbing and Heating. It was in Brooten where they also found their love for square dancing. In 1984 they sold their business.
While living in Brooten Leonard and five other men, volunteers from the Brooten Fire Department, agreed to take EMT classes. They were then able to provide medical services in a rural farming community. An ambulance was later donated by the City of Glenwood, MN for transporting patients to hospitals. This put the six men on 24/7 call until they got new recruits.
Leonard and Judith moved back to Alexandria in 1984 where he started Advance Plumbing Company. He ran his business until 2007.
All through his life he enjoyed hunting and fishing. He was a teller of stories, usually always the funny ones that happened to him and members of his family. He tried to instill the joy of hunting and fishing in his children and grandchildren. Practical jokes were part of his personality.
After his wife, Judith, retired, they started to look for a winter home to get out of the cold winters. After traveling around Texas for several years, they settled in Fredericksburg, Texas, where they have made their home since 2015 and travelled back to Minnesota for the summers until Leonard could no longer travel.
After moving to Fredericksburg in 2015 he felt the calling to become a prayer warrior and would stop and pray for people on the street and in stores. He would carry small wooden crosses to hand out to those he prayed for.
He is survived by his wife of 55 years, Judith, and three children, Jodi (Bradley) Berning of Alexandria, MN, Cindy Lea Rost (Rich Herpers)of Blaine, MN, and Michael Rost of Alexandria, MN and grandchildren, Jasmine Lea Provance, Derek Berning, Benjamin Elofson, Abbygail Elofson, and Carter Rost, and adopted grandson, Carlos Evans; and one great-grandchild, Jacob Provance; brother, Richard (Mary) Rost of Westport, MN, sisters, Teresa Heille, of Sauk Centre, MN, and Jeannie Ahlfors of New London, MN; plus numerous nieces and nephews.
He was preceded in death by his parents, and his sister, Dorothy Taylor, two brother-in-laws, and twin grandbabies, Tony and Brooke.
Leonard’s Celebration of Life will be held Sunday, May 21, 2023, at 2 p.m. at New Life Christian Church in Alexandria. Burial will be at Lake Geneva Cemetery in Alexandria, MN. Lunch and fellowship will follow.
He is at peace, no longer in pain, and dancing with the angels.
Leonard loved his dogs and in lieu of flowers, please send donations to the nearest no-kill animal shelter.
