Leonard James Eller, age 93 of Redwood Falls, formerly of Lower Sioux Community, gained his angel wings and went to join his wife Catie on April 13, 2025. Memorial Services will be held at 1:00 p.m. on Thursday, May 8, 2025, with a visitation from 11:00 a.m. - 1:00 p.m. at the Lower Sioux Cansayapi Rec Center at 39527 Res Hwy 1, Morton, MN 56270. Memorials are preferred to Renville County Historical Society & Museum at 441 North Park Drive, Morton, MN 56270. Online condolences may be sent at www.stephensfuneralservice.com. Stephens Funeral Service - Redwood Valley Funeral Home is assisting the family with arrangements.
Leonard James Eller was the second child born to Max W. Eller and Cornelia (St. Clair) on August 16, 1931 at the Lower Sioux Reservation in Minnesota. He was baptized and confirmed at St. Cornelia’s Episcopal Church in the Lower Sioux. As a young boy, Leonard helped his grandfather, Rev. Henry St. Clair as he visited church members. Leonard attended grade school on the Lower Sioux, then graduated from Morton High School with the class of 1949. He joined the United States Air Force from July 1950-1954, serving 2 years in England and 2 years at the Ellsworth Air Force Base in South Dakota. He served as an air policeman, guarding aircraft and did town patrol. Also, while in the Air Force, Leonard was on the boxing team in the middleweight division and he had a boxing record of 41 bouts, 31 wins, 4 losses, and 27 KO’s. After his time in the military, Leonard returned to Morton and worked various construction and trucking jobs. He was a lay minister at St. Cornelia’s for many years, preaching and giving communion to his community. In 1954, he met the love of his life, Catherine “Catie” Hertling. On February 20, 1960 Leonard and Catie were married in St. Paul, MN. He became stepfather to Catie’s four children, and they were a family of six. Together, they lived many places throughout the state and country, including Morton, Fairfax, Paynesville, Brainerd, Alaska, Wyoming, and South Dakota. In 1964, Leonard joined the Fairfax Police Department where he was a patrolman for one year and then served as chief until 1969. He then moved to Alaska to work on the pipeline until 1977. Leonard began working for the Department of Transportation, and he Catie then returned to Minnesota when they bought a brand-new house in Paynesville and lived there until 1993 when Leonard retired and they moved to Flandreau, SD. There, he served as a tribal chairman and was active in St. Mary’s Blessed Redeemer Episcopal Church. All throughout his life, Leonard enjoyed walking and going to casinos. He had a deep love for hunting and fishing, and provided plenty of food for the family from his successful outings. His wife and stepchildren couldn’t have asked for a better husband and father.
Leonard is survived by his children: LaVonn Miller of Hector, Ron Schmidt of Santa Fe, NM, Neil (Bev) Schmidt of New Ulm, Richard (Marge) Schmidt of Fairfax; 9 grandchildren; 19 great-grandchildren; 10 great-great-grandchildren; sister Iola “Cookie” Johnson; and numerous nieces, nephews, and Garnette Gardens and River Valley family. He is preceded in death by his parents: Max and Cornelia Eller; wife Catie, parents-in-law Frank & Adelaide Hertling, 3 brothers, 2 sisters, 3 brothers-in-law, grandson-in-law Michael Wright, and many other relatives.
