Leo Joseph Ruesewald Sr, age 80 of Dayton, TX, passed away November 23, 2017 in Liberty, TX with his loving family by his side.  Leo was born July 24, 1937 in Jonesboro, Arkansas, son of the late Frederick Leo Ruesewald Sr and Rosa Lee Gallagher Ruesewald.  Growing up in a one-bedroom house in Weiner, Arkansas, he was the fourth of five children.  As a farming and hunting family, they were taught the importance of hard work and how to live off the land.  During WWII, German POWs were housed in nearby Harrisburg, and came to work the family farm.  An avid duck hunter, they spent many mornings in the Duck Shack before and after the hunt.

As a teenager, he went to Subiaco Academy, a Catholic Boys High School in Subiaco, Arkansas.  Shortly after graduation, Leo joined the United States Army.  Serving in the 25th Infantry Division, he was a member of the Honor Guard as well as two honor rifle teams.  He had many fond memories of his time at Schofield Barracks in Hawaii.  After serving his time in the army, Leo moved to California where he met the love of his life, Pat.  He spent his time in California working for his in-law’s construction company where he used heavy equipment cleaning up after mudslides as well as helping with the land preparation for Los Angeles Airport.  Leo and Pat were married August 22, 1959 in Monterey Park, California.  Shortly after, they moved back to Weiner where Leo went back to the family farming business.  In 1966 with four children, Leo and Pat moved to Liberty, Texas where Leo continued farming.  Then in 1967 the family moved to Dayton and with the birth of their fifth child in 1968 their family was complete.  They raised the five kids in Dayton where Leo and Pat continued to live until his passing.

Leo was preceded in death by his parents, brother; Frederick Leo Ruesewald Jr and wife Jodie, Grandparents; Joseph and Teresa Ruesewald and John and Ethel Gallagher, son-in-law; Larry Hajovsky, brother-in-law; Bill Hutchison and niece; Ann Michelle Hutchison Schroeder.  He leaves behind to cherish his memory, his wife of fifty-eight years; Pat Byars Ruesewald, sons; Joe Ruesewald and wife Rhonda, Jerry Ruesewald and wife Michelle, daughters; Pamela Litton and husband Dale, Marianne Gott and husband Dwayne, Carol Hajovsky, sisters; Sr. Rosalie Ruesewald, Dorothy Ruesewald Hutchison, Cecilia Ruesewald Ragsdale and husband David, grandchildren; Kirk Graves and wife Rachel, Matthew Gott, Dr. Melissa Gott-Osterdahl and husband Dr. Paul Osterdahl, Bo Ruesewald, Kayla Ruesewald, Luke Hajovsky, Abigail Hajovsky, Zachary Hajovsky, Great-grandchildren; Madison, Reece and Wyatt.

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