Leo A. Vilbrandt

Leo A. Vilbrandt, age 88, passed away peacefully on Monday, Nov. 29, 2010, at the William S. Middleton VA Hospital in Madison.   Born in Elmore, Ohio on April 16, 1922, Leo grew up in Madison and graduated from West High.    Leo enlisted in the Marines in 1942. Participating in the Guadalcanal Campaign, Leo found his vocation as a carpenter building fox holes into muddy hillsides, to fend off bombing attacks and torrential rains.  Leo became an accomplished carpenter who single-handedly built the family's first home on Madison's south side and a beautiful retirement home on Lake Buckhorn in Reedsburg.  After building homes in the Madison area from 1951 until 1965, Leo went to work as a Journeyman Carpenter at the University of Wisconsin-Madison until he retired in 1985. Leo was a proud member in good standing of Carpenters Local 314 for nearly 60 years.   Leo was an avid outdoorsman, gardener, photographer, sports enthusiast, community volunteer, and a member of the Baraboo Optimists Club. Leo had boundless energy for woodworking and home improvement projects, and to enjoy time with his girls on various excursions out-of-doors.     Leo is preceded in death by his parents Carl and Ruth and his siblings Paul, Mary (Glatzel), William and Gerald. He is survived by his wife Joan, five daughters: Susan Vilbrandt (William Lanier) of Madison; Julie Elliott (Dean) of Bozeman, MT; Debra Vilbrandt of Madison; Teresa Soffa (Michael) of Trappe, PA; Lisa Petersen (William) of Roxbury; and six grandchildren, Micah Lanier, Marina Elliott, Ben and Zach Soffa, and Emma and Laura Petersen.   A memorial service will be held at 1:30 pm on Tuesday, December 7 at MIDDLETON COMMUNITY UNITED CHURCH OF CHRIST, 645 Schewe Road (off Old Sauk Road, 3 miles west of the Beltline Hwy) in Middleton, with   Pastor James Ihliff officiating.   Visitation will be from 12:00 pm until the time of service.   Following a late lunch at the church, Leo's girls invite family and friends to stop by the Madison Labor Temple Lounge ( 1602 S. Park St.) to raise a Toast to the Good Life of Leo Vilbrandt, between 4:30 and 7 pm.   In lieu of flowers, memorial contributions may be made to the Middleton United Church of Christ.   The family wishes to thank the staff at the VA Hospital, especially Sue Eugster and Linda Fuller and the rest of the Home Based Primary Care team, who helped Leo maintain his independence over the last three years.