Deacon LeRoy Knauf

Deacon LeRoy J. Knauf, 89, passed away on December 1, 2022, at Copperleaf of Marathon.

He was born June 4, 1933, son of the late Jacob and Marie (Ritger) Knauf, Marathon. On August 2, 1958, he married DeLoris Behrens in Augusta. She survives.

LeRoy served as a chaplain’s assistant in Fort Bliss, Texas, when he served in the Army from 1954 to 1956. After he was honorably discharged from the Army, he went to UW-River Falls for a time where he met DeLoris. While they raised a family, he had several work opportunities including being an accountant and parts manager with Knauf Bros. garage for 15 years, owning and running Knauf’s Greenhouse for 15 years and being a cost accountant and purchasing agent with Marathon Cheese Corp. for 26 years, retiring from there in 1998.

Besides his family, LeRoy was most proud of being ordained a permanent Deacon with the Diocese of LaCrosse in 1983. He served as Deacon and Pastoral Associate at Holy Family Parish in Poniatowski for over 30 years until he retired from there in 2016. He lost track of the number of couples he married and babies he baptized, but he remembered them fondly until the end.

Over the years, LeRoy was also involved with the Cub Scouts, American Legion Post 469, Marathon Lions Club and Catholic Order of Foresters.

In his rare spare time when the kids were young, LeRoy found time to go fishing and camping with the family in their converted school bus. He also liked to be outside in the garden.

Besides his wife, DeLoris, he is survived by his six children: Dale (Rita), Fr. Randy, Sr. Barb, Sandy (Tim), Margaret (Alex) and Susan; two grandchildren: Abby (Ryan) and Sam; one great-grandchild, Hallie; siblings: Mary, Betty, Rita, Jean (Ken) and Bill (Jean), and many nieces and nephews.

In addition to his parents, he was preceded in death by his brother, Jack and brothers-in-law: Harold, Ken and Bill.

Visitation will be at Peterson/Kraemer Funeral Home, 3400 Stewart Avenue in Wausau, on Thursday, Dec. 8, 2022, from 3 p.m. to 6 p.m. with a prayer service at 6 p.m. A private family funeral Mass and burial will be celebrated in the future.

In lieu of flowers, memorials may be directed to Holy Family Catholic Church, Poniatowski.

Peterson/Kraemer Funeral Home is in charge of arrangements. Online condolences may be expressed at www.petersonkraemer.com.

Paid obituary 129773