Leon was the firstborn child of William (Bill) and Marie Lammers, coming into the world on Oct. 18, 1936, and eventually becoming the oldest brother to six siblings. He attended St. Francis Xavier school in Dyersville where he excelled as a student – especially in mathematics. During this time, he met Rose Marie Showalter, which proved to be a formidable moment in his life.

He spent a good deal of time during high school at his father’s auto service garage where his love and talent for all things mechanical began to grow. Often Leon and his brother Dick could be found with their heads under the hood of someone’s car. While he and his brother were considered skilled mechanics, it has been suggested that Leon was a bit more adept at diagnosing the trouble, and Dick was a little better with the tools.

Leon graduated from St. Francis Xavier High School in 1954. He received his BE from Loras College in Dubuque, Iowa, followed by his BSME degree from the University of Iowa in 1959. Two weeks later he and Rose Marie were married on June 20th in the Basilica of St. Francis Xavier in Dyersville. They moved to Cedar Rapids, Iowa where they purchased their first home and started raising their five children. Leon then achieved his Masters in Engineering at the U of I by taking classes on Saturdays for the following five years.

His first employment was with Collins Radio in Cedar Rapids. While there, he worked on numerous NASA communications projects, including the Mercury, Gemini and Apollo projects. His work also extended into electronic autopilot systems. He was part of a large and talented team whose work quite literally went to the moon and back.

In 1973, Leon joined a fledgling company in Armstrong, Iowa, named Weigh-Tronix. During the first six months of his employment, he made a weekly five-hour commute between Armstrong and Cedar Rapids. In June of that year, the family moved to their current home in Fairmont, Minnesota. He spent 39 years heading the engineering department of a company that pioneered the advent of digital weight measurement for agriculture and industry. His work is on display wherever a blue truck scale is found along highways all over the nation. His experience in the field made him a valuable member of the National Council of Weights and Measures.

Many former employees of Weigh/Tronix referred to him as “the walking encyclopedia” of the company.

Leon was very active with the St. John Vianney parish. He and Rose Marie made certain that all five of their kids attended SJV School – an important element in their decision to move to Fairmont – and endeavored to ensure the school remained robust. His involvement that included serving as president of the SJV Endowment Board for many years was a testament to that commitment for generations of SJV students. Additionally he was an usher for Sunday masses, a valuable member of the Knights of Columbus (fourth degree), and continued to “crunch the numbers” for the various church organizations during his retirement.

Leon and Rose Marie knew each other for most of their lives, and were married for 66 years. Others left to cherish his memory are their children, Anne (Paul) Keusemann, Cathy (Bill) Barnett, Susan (Charlie) Michels, Bill (Patricia) Lammers, and Rob (Cheryl) Lammers; grandchildren, Abby (Jacob) Endres, Nolan Lammers, and Aiden Lammers; great-granddaughter, Iona Rose Endres; siblings, Charles (Mary) Lammers, Ruth (Patrick) Palzkill, and Barbara McDermott; in-laws, Elizabeth Scherrman, Mary Margaret Westhoff, Jeanne Kass, Tim (Mary) Showalter, and Dianne Showalter; as well as many nieces, nephews, extended family and friends.

Leon was preceded in death by his parents, William J. and Marie C. Lammers; brothers, Fred Lammers, David Lammers, and Richard Lammers; brothers-in-law Delbert McDermott, Toby Westhoff, Rick Kass, Patrick Schermann, Patrick Showalter, as well as many other extended family members.

Those who knew Leon quickly understood he was a thoughtful person who spoke sparsely but deliberately: why use a hundred words when fifteen would make the point? If his life could be simplified in a handful of words, it’s safe to say that above all else, he was a loving husband, father, brother, grandfather and great-grandfather, a faithful Catholic, a loyal parishioner and friend, and (though he would never admit this himself) likely the best mathematician you would have ever met.

The family would like to thank the caregivers at Fairmont Medical Center: Mayo for their compassion and expertise during his brief hospitalization.

In lieu of flowers, memorial contributions may be given to the St. John Vianney Endowment Fund in Fairmont, Minnesota in Leon’s honor. www.lakeviewfuneralhome.net

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