Kenneth R. Leet

KENNETH “KENNY” LEET, age 79, of Waseca died on Thursday, December 1, 2022 at Mayo Clinic Health System in Mankato.

Born on January 20, 1943 in Fairmont to Herbert and Lois (Small) Leet. Kenny grew up in Fairmont and attended Fairmont High School, graduating with the class of 1961. On December 31, 1963, Kenny was united in marriage to Jeanne Wolter at Immanuel Lutheran Church in Fairmont and together they lived in various communities throughout southern Minnesota before landing in Waseca in 1984.

Kenny’s entire life revolved around work and family. He began his working career right out of high school hauling milk for the Welcome Creamery. After he was married, he drove truck for Blackowski Trucking before starting his own business buying and selling corn cobs from area farmers. After the market for corn cobs no longer existed, he worked in the fertilizer division at Standard Oil in Otisco which later became Amaco. In 1981, Kenny had the opportunity to purchase the business, owning and operating Cropmate Fertilizer until 1996. Kenny tried to retire for a short time, but the idea of relaxing didn’t sit well. He started working into his later years for Krueger Trucking, Johnsons Concrete and Ag Partners. But through all of Kenny’s career adventures he never forgot to put his wife and children first. Kenny and Jeanne spent 22 years wintering down south and he enjoyed going with his family to the Gopher State Tractor Pulls. He enjoyed grooming the local snowmobile trails and riding his motorcycle. Kenny was a member of St. John Lutheran Church in Waseca. He will be remembered by his family as a man of few words but a man of his word. Kenny was his children’s best friend and a great mentor.

Kenny is survived by his loving wife of nearly 59 years, Jeanne of Waseca; children: Jerilyn (Terry) Kalis of Waldorf, Jodelle (Lane) Spies of Waseca, Joel (Christina) Leet of Otisco, and Jason (Jolene) Leet of Faribault; grandchildren: Tasha (Jeremiah) Frasher, Jerrick Kalis (Courtney Dahl), Annalesha Kalis (Fiance, Dillon Bolander), Janae Spies (Connor Phares) Jalyn Spies (Ben Schuler) Lanesha Spies, Nate Leet, Madelyn Leet (Dylan Bigelow), Connor Leet, Alex Leet; great grandchildren: William and Scarlett Frasher; sister, Arlyce (Richard) Wittmus of Fairmont; nieces, nephews, other relatives and friends.

Preceded in death by his parents and son, Jerick Joseph Leet; father-in-law and mother-in-law, Harry and Elsie (Harms) Wolter.

Funeral Service will be 11:00 AM on Monday, December 5, 2022, at the State Street Chapel of Dennis-Steffel-Omtvedt Funeral and Cremation Service in Waseca. Interment will follow at St. Mary Cemetery in Waseca. Visitation will be for one hour prior to the service at the funeral chapel on Monday.