Leonard Anton Treichel, age 72, went to meet his Lord and Savior on March 25, 2024, surrounded by loving family and friends after a courageous battle with Acute Myeloid Leukemia.

Leonard was born on May 17, 1951, in Houston, Texas to Lawrence ("Doc") and Pauline Treichel.  At a young age, the Treichel family moved to the Field Store Community in Waller, Texas where Leonard would call home for the rest of his life. Leonard's parents brought him up in the church, and his faith and church life were always central to Leonard's life.  He was baptized into the Lutheran faith on June 24, 1951, and confirmed into the same faith at Salem Lutheran Church in Whitehall, Texas on April 11, 1965.

Leonard met the love of his life, Gloria Schiel, 18, and a senior in high school at the time, at a dance at the Camwood Country Club, where she went with Leonard's baby sister, Christine.  Leonard and Gloria danced all night, and over the coming months, their love blossomed.  They were already making wedding plans, and Leonard was afraid to ask Gloria's father, Walter Schiel for her hand in marriage.  Gloria's baby sister, Donna, forced the issue, when she went in his room and told Walter while he was reading his daily newspaper, "Daddy, Leonard's got something to ask you."  Leonard walked into the room to ask Walter for Gloria's hand in marriage.  Lowering the paper, but never looking up, Walter asked, "How old is Gloria?"  Leonard told him "18", to which Walter responded, "Well I didn't raise no punching bag, if you ever feel the need to punch somebody, you come punch this old man," then pulled the paper back up and laughed like crazy behind it!  Leonard and Gloria were married on March 23, 1974, at Salem Lutheran Church in Whitehall, and were happily married for 50 years.

Leonard and Gloria welcomed their first child, a son Chad, in 1975, and twin daughters Terri and Sherri in 1978.  In 2009 Leonard was blessed with a grandson, Clayton Reagan, who helped bring him back to life and recover from the devastating loss of his son Chad in 2004.  Leonard was the proudest Pawpaw of Clayton, many times going over in the morning just to sit with Sherri to be near him.  Leonard and Clayton shared a very special bond since birth, and Leonard taught him how to fish and hunt and always doted on him.  They would talk on the phone daily, and if Clayton needed help, he would call his Pawpaw. Like if he had an issue with a boat motor, Leonard would drop what he was doing to go help him.  Many days Leonard or Gloria would go get Clayton and bring him to their house just so they could see him.  Clayton took up guitar playing, and Leonard was SO PROUD. He loved showing the latest video he'd taken of Clayton playing and singing, and he would be bursting with pride!  Even when he felt terrible after a grueling day of Treatment at MD Anderson, he would still show up at events where Clayton was playing his guitar.  He was Clayton's biggest friend and supporter.

Family was always the most important thing to Leonard.  He was so proud of the accomplishments of his daughters, Terri, and Sherri, and was their greatest supporter.  He helped each of them become independent, successful women, even though it meant that they didn't always do everything the way HE would have done.  He helped both set up successful businesses, cheered them on in their success, and loved to share with his family how proud he was of his girls.  He also wanted to make sure that all family, his and Gloria's continued to be close and celebrate together, hosting Christmas every year when everyone from his family and Gloria's could come together and celebrate.

Leonard continued to foster his faith and was the spiritual leader of his family, bringing them up in the Lutheran faith.  In recent years Leonard and Gloria were active members at New Hope Methodist Church in the Fields Store Community, where he was a church leader.  He co-founded the New Hope Methodist Fish Fry, benefitting the church building fund, and it quickly grew into a successful annual event.  He served on numerous committees and volunteered his time in various New Hope church positions such as Lay Delegate, Head of Trustees, Head of Church Council, and Head of the Building Committee, along with serving on the District Building Committee.

In addition to serving his church, Leonard was a pillar of the Field Store Community and Waller County.  Some of the many activities he was involved in or volunteered for were:  Organized a group to start the White Dove of Hope organization that helped folks in the community in need, served on the EMS Board of Waller County and served on the Field Store Cemetery Association Board.  He was also quick to volunteer when family functions or church functions required cooking a meal for a large group, from loading up all his equipment and driving 10 hours to Canyon Texas to cook for his great-niece's high school graduation party or cooking pancakes for the New Hope Easter sunrise service.

Leonard had amazing mechanical abilities, which coupled with his common sense, there was nothing he could not build or repair, and he was quite the inventor as well.  He always had a "project" he was dreaming up or working on, and Gloria was right with him, working with him or cleaning up after him.  If he didn't have a project, then he would probably be in R&D (research and development) mode.  The final project he was working on was to build his own casket.  The family is hopeful that we got it done closeto what he had jotted down in his notebook.  He had a reputation for asking what was going on, and if you mentioned something you were doing, he would say, "If it was ME, this is how I would do it," and not only would he tell you how you should do it, but he might also just run with the project and bring it to you completed, HIS WAY!   Some of the inventions he came up with that the family can fondly recall are "the chicken chariot," "Fred"--a type of vehicle that resembled the vehicle Fred Flintstone drove, "the firework boat race"—a handmade boat rigged with fireworks to compete in a race across the pond, which he won, the "Milk Tank Barbecue pit," the "spinner cart," the "Fish Fry Station"—an assembly line he hand welded to make the process of washing, seasoning, and frying the fish for the church fish fry more efficient, "The Hunting Trucks," and the "Ice Grinder" for blocks of ice.

He used his talent for fixing things throughout his career and worked as the Maintenance Supervisor for Waller School district for 20 plus years, after working various other jobs and endeavors.  In retirement, Leonard and Gloria enjoyed time together whether it was spent at their place in Matagorda, their deer lease, at church activities or at home with family, but especially with their grandson Clayton.

Leonard had a brilliant sense of humor and was quite a prankster, even from an early age, which often got him in trouble with his parents.   Even through treatment, Leonard did not lose his sense of humor as he would joke with the nurses and family members.  Although he hated cats, as did cousin Denise, their "cat feud" was lifelong, with cat items showing up at each other's homes in random places!  He was also known for his one liners, acronyms, and other "Leonard-isms."  He had a nickname for everyone he loved, and they usually stuck for the rest of their lives.  But more than anything, he made life FUN!  Like the time he was working on a hunting truck, and drove it to sister Cheryl's place, picked her and her boys up, then proceeded to sister Christine's house, and picked up her and her kids, then down Scroggins Road to extend holiday greetings to cousin Regina Henderson then on to "Wilsonville" to wish the Wilson cousins happy holidays.

Leonard is survived by his loving wife of fifty years, Gloria, daughters Sherri Reagan (Billy,) Terri Kimball (Corey,) grandson Clayton Reagan, brother Richard Treichel (Kathy), sisters Mildred Gabriel, Cheryl Swonke (Wilfred) and Christine Chamberlain, brothers-in-law, Curtis White, Louis Schiel (Denise,) sisters-in-law Florence Peterson (Marshall,) and Donna Hill, along with numerous nieces, nephews, cousins and friends who will miss him dearly.

May Leonard's legacy continue to inspire love, laughter, and cherished memories. His courage in facing Acute Myeloid Leukemia serves as a reminder of the strength within us all. May he rest in peace, surrounded by the love of family and friends.

Serving as pallbearers are Quinn Hansen, Farrell Hill, Bradley Riley, Bubba Schiel, David Schiel, Jeremy Swonke, Joshua Swonke, Johnny Treichel.

In lieu of flowers the family requests that donations be made to the New Hope Methodist Field Store Building Fund, a project near and dear to Leonard's heart. Donations can be sent 26104 Schneider Road, Waller, TX 77484.

A celebration of life will be held on Thursday, March 28th Champion Cowboy Church (27633 FM 1488 Hockley, TX) with visitation starting at 9:30 am followed by a funeral service at 11:00 am.  The interment will be held at Field Store Cemetery, 26104 Schneider Road. Waller, TX 77484.  The family invites friends and family to continue the celebration of life after the interment with a luncheon at Field Store Community Center.