Leo Kloewer, July 3, 1945 – February 25, 2025
York, Nebraska
Leo Anthony Kloewer passed into eternity to be united with his Savior on February 25, 2025, at the age of 79. Leo’s life of service and patient devotion to generations of students has left a lasting impact on his community.
Leo was born on July 3, 1945, in Manilla, Iowa, the sixth of 11 children born to Ruby (Ewoldt) and Vincent Kloewer. Leo began his lifelong love of athletics as a young man, particularly playing football at Manilla High School. He graduated in 1964 and started college at Northwest Missouri State University. His academic and athletic pursuits were put on hold when he got a letter from Uncle Sam requesting his service in Vietnam.
Leo was proud to serve his country as a member of the 11th Armored Cavalry Regiment (aka Blackhorse Regiment) of the United States Army. In the two years that he did his duty during the war, he was invaluable to his fellow soldiers as he was a man who knew how to get things. The hand of the Lord was upon Leo, as his life was spared during an incident with a mortar shell that landed mere feet away from him but did not explode.
After serving in a war, Leo returned to Northwest Missouri State and graduated with a bachelor’s degree in physical education in 1972. He taught math and PE for two years at Humphrey St. Francis and coached football, then moved to Deshler Public Schools to teach PE and coach football and basketball. It was while he was coaching a game in Meridian that he noticed a Meridian teacher. Leo married Gayle Hauser on December 26, 1976, at St. Joseph’s Catholic Church in York.
Six months later the couple moved to York where they would live and serve for nearly five decades. Leo taught math and PE at St. Joseph’s Catholic School for 40 years, as well as coaching basketball and track. In the summers he also taught driver’s education in the public schools, and was known for being a gentle and patient teacher with first time drivers behind the wheel. After he retired from full time teaching, he became a substitute teacher for four years, serving in both the public and private schools in York.
Teaching and coaching was Leo’s passion. He had a way of meeting every student where they were, instilling confidence in them, and helping them to grow and improve. He might occasionally throw chalk at them or tease them by calling them “Rutabaga!” or another silly name, but his students knew that their teacher and coach was always there for them, rooting for them to succeed. Leo earned a Master’s Degree in Education from Northwest Missouri State in 1979, working through the summers to accomplish this goal.
In 1983, Gayle and Leo adopted their son Nicholas, and two years later, their daughter Elizabeth. Just as Leo was a kind and patient teacher, so he was as a father, modeling unflappable calm and good humor for his children. He was funny, a positive thinker, and always encouraging, recalled his children. He taught them how to work hard and how to love the service you have been called to do in this life.
In addition to his full schedule of teaching and coaching, Leo also regularly traveled across Nebraska to serve as a referee for football, basketball, and volleyball. In the summers, he ran the concession stand at Levitt Stadium for the Knights of Columbus during American Legion baseball games. In later years, it was not uncommon to see Leo chugging along on his John Deere mower to transport a wagon load of food and candy from his house to the stadium across the street.
In addition to his service activities with the Knights of Columbus, he was also a member of the American Legion and the 11th Armored Cavalry’s Veterans of Vietnam & Cambodia trooper’s association (the Blackhorse Regiment). For many years, he was an integral part of the “fish fry” team at St. Joseph’s Church, prepping the breaded fish that fed the congregation each Friday during lent.
Leo was a big Yankees fan and he and Gayle had a friendly rivalry each baseball season, as she preferred the Cubs. The couple regularly enjoyed attending Husker football and baseball games as well.
Leo and Gayle loved to travel together. They visited all 50 states (their trip to Alaska was a favorite), frequently traveling for reunions of the Blackhorse Troopers. Leo also returned to Vietnam with some military brothers in 1996 to enjoy the culture and the beauty without the turmoil of war. Leo traveled to Washington DC on an Honor Flight in 2016 to visit the Vietnam War Memorial, which was a very meaningful trip for the proud Veteran.
In his spare time, Leo enjoyed working jigsaw puzzles and taking meticulous care of his lawn and flower garden. He loved to use his snowblower, so when the flakes would fly he would do his driveway and sidewalks, then continue on down the block. He was a good friend, a good neighbor, and above all, a good man.
Leo is preceded in death by his parents, Ruby & Vince Kloewer, sisters Mildred (died in infancy) and Leona Gibbins, and brother Ed Kloewer as well as brothers-in-law Dennis Ramsey, Merle Reinart, Dave Disburg and sister-in-law Cheryl Kloewer.
Left to cherish Leo’s memory are his wife, Gayle of York, son, Nicholas of Lincoln, NE, daughter, Elizabeth and her husband, Jake Wallace of Dunbar, NE, sisters Joan Ramsey of Manning, Iowa, Mae (Ron) Franks of Essex, Iowa, Linda Disburg of Danville, Iowa, and Betty Reinart of Carroll, Iowa, brothers Jim (Norma) Kloewer of Stuart, Iowa, Willie Kloewer of Carroll, Iowa and Mike (Vicki) Kloewer of Albany, Oregon. He is also survived by many nieces and nephews and their families.
A Mass of Christian burial is scheduled for 10:00 a.m., Monday, March 3, 2025 at St. Joseph Catholic Church in York with the Reverend Father John Sullivan and the Reverend Father Tony Bedient officiating. A rosary will be said at 9:30 a.m. prior to the service at the church. Interment with military honors will follow at St. Joseph Catholic Cemetery in York. Visitation will be held from 1-8 p.m. on Sunday, with the family greeting friends from 4-6 p.m. that afternoon, all at Metz Mortuary in York. In lieu of flowers or plants, memorials may be directed to St. Joseph Catholic School. Leo’s service will be livestreamed on Metz Mortuary’s YouTube Channel: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCl1ffBwglpCqu7nKkx42SzQ.