LeRoy John Welschmeyer, of Freeburg, was born on June 21, 1949, at Freeburg, a son of Frank Aloysius and Elizabeth Marie (Bexten) Welschmeyer and departed this life at 10:55 a.m., Wednesday, December 2, 2015 in the Harry S. Truman Veterans Hospital, Columbia. LeRoy had attained the age of 66 years, 5 months and 11 days.

LeRoy was preceded in death by his father, Frank on January 20, 2002; his mother, Elizabeth on March 8, 2005; two brothers, Stephen Welschmeyer on December 13, 2005 and Fr. Joe Welschmeyer on June 25, 2014; and three sisters, Esther Klebba on September 3, 1986, Mary Wiegers on December 30, 2005, and Louise Groner on December 18, 2009.

LeRoy attended the Holy Family School, Freeburg, and graduated from Fatima High School, Westphalia in 1967. Following graduation in 1968, Leroy joined the United States Navy. He was in the construction division of the Navy known as the Seabees and served at Rach Gia, Vietnam in 1968 as well as on the Island of Palau in the South Pacific Caroline Island area and at Roosevelt Roads, Puerto Rico. LeRoy was honorably discharged from the Navy in 1974 and began his training with the US Peace Corps in Fortaleza, Brazil. He worked for two years at Parnaiba, Piaui, rural northeastern Brazil, learning the Portuguese language and worked as an Agricultural Extensionist specializing in cattle production until the end of 1976. Returning to the states, LeRoy completed his Bachelor of Science Degree in Agricultural Studies at Lincoln University, Jefferson City in 1978 and worked as a livestock farmer. He enjoyed going to auctions, spending time with family and friends, and especially enjoyed seeing his grandchildren.

Those left to mourn the passing of LeRoy include: his children, Ann Mary Welschmeyer and special friend, Joe Conrad, Cedar Rapids, Iowa and Elise Maureen McNeil; three brothers, Richard (Lucille) Welschmeyer and Bernard (Ruth) Welschmeyer all of Freeburg and Jerome Welschmeyer, Dixon; three sisters, Janice (Danny) Plemmons, Freeburg; Sara (Wayne) Henderson, Vienna; and Joyce (Ben) Robinson, St. Charles; brothers-in-law, Eugene Klebba, Taos; and Clem Groner, Westphalia; grandchildren, Teah D. Robinson, Alec A. Welschmeyer, Leilua D. Conrad and Rengel A. Conrad; and many other relatives and friends.