Paul Leis

Paul William Leis, 91, Elbow Lake, died Saturday, September 22, 2012, at the Barrett Care Center. The funeral service for Paul Leis will be held at 2:00 pm on Wednesday, September 26, 2012, at Christ Lutheran Church in Elbow Lake with the Rev. Don Wagner officiating. Burial will be in the Union Cemetery, Elbow Lake. Friends may call at the Erickson-Smith Funeral Home on Tuesday, September 25, 2012, from 5-8 pm; visitation will resume at the church on Wednesday one hour prior to the service. Paul was born on October 27, 1920, in Delaware Township, Grant County, Minnesota, to Jacob and Nellie (Buhr) Leis. He was baptized and confirmed in the Lutheran faith and was a member of Christ Lutheran Church. When the family moved to Elbow Lake, he attended school through the 8th grade, after which he worked for his father and others in the area. In November 1942, Paul joined the U.S. Marine Corp and served in the Pacific theatre where he fought in the battle of Iwo Jima and participated in the occupation of Japan. He was honorably discharged in January 1946. He returned to Minnesota and obtained his GED at Marshall High School in Minneapolis. Returning to Elbow Lake, Paul joined his father and brothers at Leis Motors to retail Chrysler products. On June 17, 1950, Paul married Alice "Bonnie" Meberg of Park River, North Dakota. They continued to make their home in Elbow Lake for the next 62 years. Paul enjoyed working with his customers and helping them with their automotive needs. To him, it was all about the customer, which was possible because of the dedicated employees at Leis Motors. He enjoyed going for evening swims at Eagle Lake with Bonnie and the grandchildren and the stops at the Snack Shack in Ashby. Paul and Bonnie were avid dancers. Paul is survived by his wife Bonnie; children Darwin of Fargo, North Dakota, Orvin (Donna) of Elbow Lake, and Kathrine of Chicago, Illinois; grandchildren Jacob Leis of Cambridge, Minnesota, Alexandra Leis, currently traveling in SE Asia, Elizabeth Leis and Jonathan Leis, both of Minneapolis; and several nieces and nephews. He was preceded in death by his parents Jacob and Nellie Leis, and his brothers and their wives, Ralph and Edna Leis and Lawrence and Avis Leis.

Funeral Home: Erickson-Smith Funeral Home - Elbow Lake 116 1st Street NE Elbow Lake, MN US 56531

---

Previous Events

Visitation
Tuesday, September 25, 2012
Service
Wednesday, September 26, 2012
cemetery
Wednesday, September 26, 2012