Cover photo for W. Leland Lee Lepere's Obituary
W. Leland Lee Lepere Profile Photo
1913 W. 2011

W. Leland Lee Lepere

July 12, 1913 — June 29, 2011

W. Leland "Lee" LePere, 97, Rockford, passed away peacefully , Wednesday, June 29, 2011, in Rosewood Care Center, surrounded by his family. He was born July 12, 1913, in Ava, the son of William Ellet and Edna Theo (Stout) LePere. He graduated from Ava High School in 1932. He left Ava and moved to Chicago in 1936, and worked as a diesel mechanic on tug boats. Lee married LaVergne Olson in Chicago on May 2, 1942. He worked at the Bendix Corp. during WWII. After the war, he learned the skill of watch repair from a relative while attending watch-making school. Lee worked for C. D. Peacock Jewelers, eventually starting his own business in the mid 1950's. He repaired watches for many famous people including President Dwight D. Eisenhower and President Fulgencio Batista. Lee retired from being a jeweler in 1988. Lee and LaVergne moved to Rockford in 2000. He was a member of Our Saviors Lutheran Church.Survived by his loving wife of 69 years, LaVergne; daughters, Thea (Forrest) Carlson of Rockford and Julie (Rev. Mark) Gilbert of West Salem, WI; grandchildren, Jennifer Anderson, Jason and Dana Carlson, Jared, Nathan, and Benjamin Gilbert; great-grandchildren, Mitchell and Leah Anderson, Natalie, William and Lauren Carlson, and Alexander Ulage; brother, Fred LePere. Predeceased by his parents; brothers, Eldon, J. Lester, Wilbur and Wendell LePere; sisters, Lois Gibboney, Eleanor Edgar and Joyce Reuscher.Memorial service will be 2:00pm, Saturday, July2, 2011, at Fitzgerald Funeral Home and Crematory, Mulford Chapel, 1860 S. Mulford Rd. with Pastor Woody Knutson officiating. Burial in Twelve Mile Grove Cemetery. Visitation from 1:00pm until time of service at the funeral home. In lieu of flowers, memorials to Our Saviors Lutheran Church, 3300 Rural St. Rockford, IL 61107. Share online condolences at www.fitzgeraldfh.com.

To order memorial trees or send flowers to the family in memory of W. Leland Lee Lepere, please visit our flower store.

Guestbook

Visits: 0

This site is protected by reCAPTCHA and the
Google Privacy Policy and Terms of Service apply.

Service map data © OpenStreetMap contributors

Send Flowers

Send Flowers

Plant A Tree

Plant A Tree