Paul Lorenze Leerssen

Paul Lorenze Leerssen, son of Henry Paul Leerssen and Alphild (Alphie) Peterson Leerssen was born on June 3rd, 1943 in the small town of Little Fork, in Koochiching County, Minnesota. He was their first child. Paul was baptized on June 13th of that year by the "circuit rider" - a Lutheran pastor who drove from town to town several times a year to baptize, marry and consecrate those who had passed away, between his visits. The pastor's last name was Lorenze. Henry & Alphie gave Paul the pastor's name as his middle name in honor of him. In December 1946 Paul's sister, Janelle Rene (deceased), was born completing the family. Paul's dad, Henry, was a logger in the cold of Minnesota winters so in 1947 he decided to move the family to Oregon to work in the milder winters of the northwest. The family arrived in Springfield, Oregon where they would call home for the next 10 yrs. They became Charter Members of Hope Lutheran Church - Lutheran Church Missouri Synod - in Springfield where Paul was involved in youth activities, Sunday School and worship. In 1957, Paul's parents decided to move their family to Bend, OR - a place they all had hunted and fished and loved. After the move the family immediately became active members of Trinity Lutheran Church - Lutheran Church Missouri Synod - in Bend. Paul was confirmed in his faith on April 14th, 1957. Paul's dad would find work at Helfrey Dairy in Bend, while Paul and his sister, Janelle, would attend Bend Jr. and Senior High Schools. Paul graduated from Bend Senior High School with the Class of 1961 and immediately enlisted in the U.S. Navy. In the months before he left for basic training in San Diego, Paul fulfilled one of his life's goals by working as a cowboy on the Foster Family Ranch in Summer Lake, Oregon. He always said that it was the best job he ever had - riding horses, tending cattle, living in the bunkhouse. After completing basic training at the USN Training Center in October of 1961, Paul elected to attend the naval machinist school and was trained for that career before being assigned to the USS Nereus. His tours of duty included 2 yrs. at Pearl Harbor, Honolulu, HI and the balance out of the base in San Diego. Paul was Honorably Discharged in February 1966. He immediately moved back to Oregon, this time settling in Salem, finding employment in a machine shop in Albany, OR. On July 4th, 1967 - Paul met Jeanette DeMoss at a 4th of July BBQ at his parents' home, introduced by family and friends. The connection was instant. On Christmas Day that December they became engaged and Paul immediately began to look for work on "this side of the mountains", wanting to move back home, to Bend. Paul would find employment at Nosler Bullet Co. - now called Nosler Inc. - working as a maintenance machinist beginning in February 1968. He would work for the Nosler family for the next 36 yrs., retiring only when the disabling strokes/health issues occurred in the Fall of 2004. Paul & Jeanette would marry at Trinity Lutheran Church on April 6th,1968. They were blessed with two children: a daughter Tonja and a son Matthew. Paul was an active Lutheran Christian. For over 60 yrs he was a member at Trinity, including being active in Walther League (as a teen) and then (as an adult) Paul served on the Board of Elders, the Board of Trustees, as Sunday School Superintendent, as Secretary of the Voter's Assembly, as one of the high school youth counselors, and as an usher for worship services along with participating in many of the building and/or remodeling programs at Trinity. A man with a strong quiet faith, he was committed to the mission and ministry at Trinity Lutheran Church & School with his time, talent and treasure. In Paul's private time he was an avid outdoorsman. He loved hunting and fishing, spending hours, sometimes days in the rugged wilderness of Central and Eastern Oregon. Paul peacefully passed away at home on Friday, November 6, 2020 surrounded by family. His passing was a result of failing health and complications of the strokes he suffered 16 yrs. earlier. Paul is survived by his wife of 52 yrs, Jeanette, by his daughter and son, by nine grandchildren and one great granddaughter. They include daughter Tonja (Greg) and their children Calah (Taylor) & their daughter Charlotte, Megan, Abinet and Ashenafi; also by his son Matthew (Heidi) and their daughters Halie (Phelan) and Paige (David). Paul was preceded in death by both his parents: Henry ('73) & Alphie ('06) and his sister, Janelle ('89). A memorial service is pending. It will be held at Trinity Lutheran Church. Memorials can be directed to Trinity Lutheran School, or Trinity Lutheran Church - Sanctuary Fund or to St. Charles Hospice. Private family gathering will be held in December. Contributions may be made to Trinity Lutheran School 2550 NE Butler Market Rd. Bend, OR 97701 or St. Charles Hospice 2500 NE Neff Rd. Bend, OR 97701. Niswonger-Reynolds Funeral Home is honored to serve the family. 541-382-2471

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Paul Lorenze Leerssen

June 3, 1943 - November 6, 2020