Leo James Petan was born on February 13, 1920, the third son born to Ann and Emil Petan of Spring Valley, Wisconsin. Leo grew up on a farm in Spring Lake Township of Pierce County, Wisconsin, with his older brothers Harry and Harold, and his younger sister Bernice. He married Agnes Ek of Clear Lake, Wisconsin on May 7, 1944. Leo, his wife Agnes, and baby daughter Lea, moved to a farm in rural Clear Lake, Wisconsin in 1946. During the early 1950's Leo farmed and worked part time at Junkins Motors. In 1955 he started working full time as an auto mechanic at Anderson Johnson Motors in Clear Lake, a job he held for over twenty years. Late in the 1970's he semi-retired and spent winters in Texas and Arizona and summers at Clear Lake. During those late 70's he worked summers for Paulson Pickers of Clear Lake. In 1980 he fully retired and continued spending his winters in the south for the next 25 years. In 1990, Leo and Agnes sold the farm in Clear Lake and moved to Osceola, Wisconsin where they built a home. They remained in that home until March of 2011. At that time they moved to the Christian Community Home of Osceola. Leo enjoyed traveling through the United States and visited many sites from Wisconsin to Florida and all throughout the western states and Canada. He was very self- reliant and could fix or build most anything he was interested in. He remodeled the farm house at Clear Lake several times over the years. He also occasionally built pieces of furniture. In later years he took up crafting, made quilts, and learned to crochet and knit. His loving wife Agnes passed away this past October. Leo passed away on Monday, February 10, 2014 at the age of 93.
Leo is survived by one daughter, Lea Rasmussen of Scandia, MN; 3 granddaughters: Andrea Rasmussen of Centerville, MN, Deanna Rasmussen-Walkey, of Belvedere, IL, and Becky Rasmussen of Woodbury, MN; one great granddaughter, Alyssa Mae Homa of Centerville, MN as well as other relatives and friends.


Funeral services will be held on Monday, February 17, 2014 at 11:00 a.m. at the Williamson-White Funeral Home in Amery. Burial will be at the Clear Lake Cemetery. There will be a time of visitation for one half hour before the service.