Leonard Amil Schweitzer

Leonard passed peacefully in his home with his devoted wife of 72 years, Shirley Edenhofer Schweitzer, by his side. He is survived by his 2 daughters, Carolyn Soares and Sherrie Doumit. He is joining his predeceased daughter Leona, and siblings Mervene, Loren, Margie, Velma, Charlie, Orpha, Evoghn, Berlin, Ralph, Richard, and Hazel.

Leonard was blessed with 7 grandchildren, 14 great grandchildren, and 1 great-great grandchild. Fittingly he passed on Grandparent’s Day with two of his granddaughters by his side, along with Shirley, and his caregiver and good friend Lawrence.

Leonard was born in Iowa as the youngest son of 12 children. Losing everything in the Great Depression, his family moved to New Mexico for New Deal work and where he raised a coyote as a pet. He had a knack for taming wild animals, like Elizabeth the squirrel at his home in Sacramento later in life.

When his family moved to California several years later, Leonard worked with the family harvesting fruit in the summer and after school gathering fallen trees to cut and sell wood door to door for cook stoves. After graduating 8th grade, he left school to work full time to help his parents put food on the table. He became a tree trimmer, partnered in a tree business, and later retired from Sacramento County Parks and Recreation.

Devoted to his family, Leonard never missed a family celebration. He was always ready to help anyone in need no matter day or night, to build a home for someone he loved, to fix your car, or rescue a family, friend, neighbor, or stranger at a second’s notice. Leonard loved to laugh and his laughter often tickled himself and others to tears of glee. He brought joy

to many by his kindness, generosity, and his youthful sense of humor that he exhibited with spunkiness even in his last moments.

Leonard had a great love of traveling, water skiing, deer & elk hunting to provide food for the family, and above all, California’s magnificent big trees. He will be deeply missed, but forever remembered by his greatest legacy, his enormous growing family, his daughters, grandchildren, great grandchildren, great great grandchildren and the mountain home he built with his own two hands for all of them to forever enjoy in Arnold, California, which he always called his happiest place.

Shirley, whom Leonard lovingly nicknamed “Sweety Face” will cherish the wonderful memories of how he delighted in spoiling her with flowers from Balshor’s.