The celebration of life for Leonard H. Buxkemper of Schulenburg, Texas will be held at St. Michael Catholic Church in Weimar, Texas on Saturday, May 16, 2015, at 10:00 am. A graveside service will follow at St. Michaels Catholic Cemetery in Weimar. Pallbearers are Daniel Henneke, Vernon Warschak, Stephen Lesikar, David Wilde, Felix Buxkemper, and Justin Wostarek.

A Parish Prayer Service and Knights of Columbus Rosary will be held Friday, 7:00 pm, at Henneke Funeral Home in Columbus. Visitation at Henneke Funeral Home, Friday from 5:00 pm to 7:00 pm and at St. Michael Catholic Church, Saturday from 9:00 am to 10:00 am.

Leonard, the ninth child out of a family of ten, was born on August 29, 1928 to Emil and Caroline Gully Buxkemper at Frelsburg. He was baptized and confirmed at Sts. Peter and Paul Catholic Church in Frelsburg. He attended St. Joseph School, a rural one room school house, during his grammar school years. He attended Henman Seminary School at Frelsburg for his freshman and sophomore years. He finished his high school at Columbus High School in 1945. He spent the next two years farming with his parents.

In 1947, he entered the seminary at LaPorte, Texas. In 1950, he was appointed to attend the North American College in Rome, Italy to study at the Gregorian University. Sickness forced him to return to the United States where he continued at LaPorte until his ordination to the priesthood on May 29, 1954. After a brief stay in Lockhart, Texas, he was moved to St. Monica Catholic Church in Cameron, Texas. On February 2, 1956, he was moved to the Church of the Visitation in Westphalia, Texas. In 1959, Leonard inquired for proper procedure to be released from the priesthood. Following all procedures, Leonard continued at his position until 1966 when he was transferred to St. Anthonys in Bryan, Texas as administrator where he served until February 1968. He received his dispensation from Rome.

He met Juanita Beach Reichl and they were married at the Cathedral in Joliet, Illinois on November 22, 1968. Leonard joined Hallmark Personnel and trained to place professionals in new positions. In 1972, Leonard and Juanita returned to Texas as a part owner to open Hallmark Personnel of Texas, Inc. in Houston. Later they bought out the partner and ran the company. Leonard and Juanita retired; traveling became their daily life. They traveled extensively worldwide including visiting the original Buxkemper homestead in Alfen, Germany. Travel by RV included the entire U.S. and Canada. Their last overseas trip was Israel and touring the Holy Land. They sold their motor home and settled down in their home.

Leonard, having an outgoing personality, was asked to take the helm of the Knights of Columbus in Weimar as Grand Knight. In 1998, under his guidance, the Knights acquired their own home. He convinced the Knights to start fish fries during Lent. In 2000, he was elected as Faithful Navigator of the St. Michaels Assembly in Weimar, TX which he led for 2 years. In 2003, Leonard was asked to come out of retirement to develop the 911 Rural Addressing System which replaced the rural addressing system in Colorado County, a project he completed in 2005.

Leonard is survived by his wife, Juanita, of 46 years; 2 step-children, Douglas Reichl and wife, Susan, Barbara Reichl Griffiths; step-grandchildren, Scott Griffiths, Renee Reichl Luthra and husband, Yannig Luthra, Erik Reichl, and Matthew Reichl; and one great-grandchild, Michele-Christine Luthra; also survived by one sister, Sophie Leyendecker of Columbus; brother-in-law, Frank Lesikar of Columbus; 39 nieces and nephews.

Memorials may be made to St. Michael Catholic Church, P O Box 36, Weimar, TX 78962; Sts. Peter & Paul Catholic Church in Frelsburg, 1031 Church Lane, New Ulm, TX 78950; St. Rose of Lima Catholic Church, 1010 Lyons St., Schulenburg, TX 78956; Westphalia Historical Society, Inc., 166 CR 3000, Lott, TX 76656-3827; or to the charity of your choice.