Ralph E. Leum

Ralph Elmer Leum, 88, of Longmont, Colorado, died Sunday, April 8, 2007 Ralph Elmer Leum, 88, of Longmont, Colorado, passed away Sunday, April 8, 2007 at Longmont United Hospital.Ralph was born February 8, 1919 on the Leum family farm in Vernon County, Wisconsin, to Elmer O. and Lenora (Tomtingen) Leum. He was baptized and confirmed in Our Saviors Lutheran Church in Westby and attended the Leum School. He joined the US Army in 1942 and served in the South Pacific during WWII. After his honorable discharge in 1945, he returned to Wisconsin where he worked on a dairy farm. He later earned his diploma from Central High School in LaCrosse, Wisconsin.Ralph married Esther Jeanette Berg on August 22, 1945 in Coon Valley, Wisconsin. The couple made their home in Westby and Oak Creek, Wisconsin until moving to Colorado in 1976. The couple lived in Craig, Lyons and Boulder, before moving to Longmont in 1984. Mr. Leum worked for many years as public works director and utilities supervisor. With Ralph on fiddle, banjo and harmonica, and Esther on mandolin, autoharp and hammered dulcimer, the couple played 'Scandinavian and Old Time Country Western Music' with the Rocky Mountain Players for many years. They also played with the Bethlehem Bluegrass Band, the Tri-City Senior Sizzlers, and the Lyons Golden Gang. He attended Our Savior's Lutheran Church in Westby where he taught Sunday School, and was on the church council at Bethlehem Lutheran Church in Longmont. He was a member of the American Legion Post 155 in Westby, the Sons of Norway Lodge 114, the B.P.O. Elks #1055, the Golden K Kiwanis Club, the Loyal Order of Moose #1548, and was a life member of Veterans of Foreign Wars Post 2601.Survivors include his wife, Esther Leum of Longmont; two sons, Richard Leum and his wife, Nancy, of Tampa, Florida, and Emil John Leum and his wife, Sandy, of Florence, South Carolina; a daughter, Helen Ramirez and her husband, David, of Loveland, Colorado; three brothers, Otis (Lillian) and Lloyd Leum, and Gilbert Leum and his wife, Anna, all of Westby; and four sisters, Eunice Sorenson of Westby, Eleanor Ekern of Coon Valley, Olga Gossett of Rockford, Illinois, and Mary Ann Oftedahl and her husband, Norman, of Viroqua, Wisconsin. He is further survived by six grandchildren, Angie, Danny, Kristin, Amber, Medeia, and Lee; and two great grandchildren, Matthew and Brooke. He was preceded in death by his parents; two brothers, Milton and Martin Leum; a sister-in-law, Inez Leum; and a brother-in-law, Gordon Ekern. Funeral services will be held on Saturday, April 14, 2007 at 2:00 p.m. at Our Saviors Lutheran Church in Westby with Pastor Gary Daines officiating. Burial with military rites will be in the Our Saviors Cemetery, rural Westby. Friends may call on Saturday after 12:00 noon at the church. Memorials may be made to the Sons of Norway or Bethlehem Lutheran Church, c/o Howe Mortuary, 439 Coffman St., Longmont, CO 80501. The Vosseteig Funeral Home of Westby is serving the family locally.