William W Leopold

Son of Rensselaer, William W. Leopold, passed away November 20, 2012 in San Diego, California. He was born December 23, 1928 in Rensselaer, Indiana to Glenn H. “Peach” Leopold and Pauline (Wolf) Leopold (of Hammond, Indiana). He went to Rensselaer schools, graduating from Rensselaer High School in 1946, and attended Indiana University. He began his career in business with his father at the Home Finance Company on N. Cullen Street. Later her worked with the federal Small Business Administration in Washington, D.C. He was active in the Republican Party locally and nationally. As a fourth generation member of the Leopold family in Rensselaer, Mr. Leopold continued his family’s passion for civic, business, and philanthropic work. Among his charitable works is a trust giving scholarships to RHS students pursuing technical or vocational careers so that they might contribute to Rensselaer in the future. He was always humble about his generosity and few knew the extent of his contributions to his community. The Leoplds in Rensselaer have been integral in the building of this community. Mr. Leopold is the great grandson of early businessman Abraham and Emilie (Etzlbacher) Leopold. Both were immigrants to this country from Germany in the mid-1800's. The Leopold Building on West Washington Street, which houses Abraham’s early dry goods and real estate business, is now part of the designated Historic District. Streets in the Leopold addition carry the names of Abraham and Emilie’s nine children. Son Benhardt Leopold and his wife Fannie (Rosenthal) were well-regarded in the local area and are Mr. Leopold’s grandparents. Modest, loyal, and caring, Mr. Leopold honored his family legacy as a devoted son, friend, and family member. He remained in touch with relatives and friends throughout his life. Always gracious, he had many close friends throughout the country and always included visits with them in his many travels. Generations of us are honored to have known and loved this true gentleman. Mr. Leopold, known to most as “Bill”, participated in the many activities of the Shriners organization wherever he lived. He also served in the U.S. Army at the end of World War II. He loved to travel around this country and the world. An avid patron of the Arts, he appreciated concerts, musical reviews, and theatre, particularly those at the Kennedy Center in our Nations capitol. After retiring, Mr. Leopold moved to San Diego and enjoyed the amenities of Southern California. There, he had many friends who were also retirees from the Midwest and was very active socially. In recent years, Bill was the dear friend of Marie Madison, also of San Diego, who cared for him throughout his illness and the hospitalization which preceded his death. Mr. Leopold is survived by many friends and family. He was predeceased by his parents and his foster sister Anne (Ford) Stafford. Services 1:00 P.M. Saturday, May 4, 2013 at Memory Gardens Cemetery, Rensselaer, Indiana with Rabbi Stanley Halpern.

William W Leopold

December 23, 1928 - November 20, 2012