Leslie Day

FUNERAL SERVICES :will be held at 11:00 A.M., Saturday, June 5, 2010 at the Jones-Pearson Funeral Home in Park Rapids, MN with Reverend John Fair officiating.VISITATION :will be held from 5 - 8:00 P.M., Friday, June 4, 2010 at the Jones-Pearson Funeral Home and one hour prior to the service.INTERMENT :Interment will be made at Greenwood Cemetery in Park Rapids, MN. SURVIVORS : Leslie is survived by his wife, Alva Day of Menahga, MN, daughter Sandra (Robert) Etter of Side Lake, MN, son Gary (Mary Jo Ridgeway) Day of Miles City, MT, daughter Susan (Jim) Renner of Molalla, Oregon, six grandchildren: Terry (Peggy) Etter; Jason (Camille) Etter, Justin Day, Catharine (Justin) Houstoun, Carson Renner and Eric Renner. He is also survived by five great-grandchildren: Thomas Etter, Emma Etter, Madeline Etter, Jasper Etter and William Houstoun as well as numerous nieces and nephews along with many other relatives and friends. LESLIE JOHN DAYMay 24, 1919 ~ June 1, 2010 Leslie John Day, of the Menahga/Park Rapids area, died on June 1, 2010 in the VA Hospital in Fargo, North Dakota at the age of 91. Leslie was born to Clara May (Thompson) Day and Henry Newton Day on May 24, 1919 near Lark, North Dakota. At age 13, he moved with his family to the Hubbard Prairie area in Minnesota. He worked on the family farm, logged and took classes to become a licensed electrician. Les enlisted in the Marine Corp in 1942, achieved the rank of platoon sergeant and served primarily in the South Pacific including the islands of Guam, Bougainville, Guadalcanal and Iwo Jima. He received the Silver Star for heroic action on Iwo Jima and the Purple Heart when he was later wounded on that island. He received an honorable discharge in 1945 and returned home to the Menahga area. Les met Alva Knowles, the love of his life and married her in 1946. Three children were born of that union. Leslie worked hard to provide for his family as a farmer, logger and electrician. He loved to learn and had a natural talent for inventing and building things. He especially enjoyed collecting old iron and putting it to use as needed. One of his creations is a sawmill, forged from the chassis and running gear of various 1930"s trucks and cars. He did custom sawing with his mill all over Wadena, Hubbard and Becker counties and it is still in use today. Les loved to hunt big game. He took up archery in the late 1960"s with significant success, shooting a Pope and Young record book Whitetail. Later he hunted with his children and grandchildren and made numerous trips to Montana to hunt deer, antelope and elk. Leslie was very proud of his family and they in turn adored him. He had a wonderful sense of humor and instilled in his children, grandchildren and great-grandchildren the importance of honesty, integrity, self-sufficiency and the value of education. He was a history buff and had an amazing ability to remember details. Les enjoyed playing music, kept up on current events and enjoyed the art of debating. As a careful observer and critical thinker, he developed unique theories on a wide variety of subjects delighting his family, especially his grandchildren with his ideas. Les and Alva loved to travel and visit with family and friends. They enjoyed playing cards, watching wildlife and being with each other. Together they observed their 64th wedding anniversary just a week before his death. He was a good, hardworking, gentle and quiet man. Les was a wonderful husband, father, grandfather, great-grandfather and friend. He was all we could ever ask for. We will miss him. Leslie is survived by his wife, Alva Day of Menahga, MN, daughter Sandra (Robert) Etter of Side Lake, MN, son Gary (Mary Jo Ridgeway) Day of Miles City, MT, daughter Susan (Jim) Renner of Molalla, Oregon, six grandchildren: Terry (Peggy) Etter; Jason (Camille) Etter, Justin Day, Catharine (Justin) Houstoun, Carson Renner and Eric Renner. He is also survived by five great-grandchildren: Thomas Etter, Emma Etter, Madeline Etter, Jasper Etter and William Houstoun as well as numerous nieces and nephews along with many other relatives and friends. He was preceded in death by his parents, brother Ronald Day and sister Verna Lehto. Funeral services will be held 11:00 A.M., Saturday, June 5, 2010 at the Jones-Pearson Funeral Home in Park Rapids, MN with Reverend John Fair officiating. Visitation will be held from 5 to 8:00 P.M. on Friday, June 4, 2010 at the Jones-Pearson Funeral Home and one hour prior to the service on Saturday. Casketbearers will be Les" grandchildren; Terry Etter, Jason Etter, Justin Day, Carson Renner, Eric Renner and Russell Knowles. Honorary casketbearers will be Catharine Houstoun, Cole Mickelson and Tyler Renner. Interment will be made at Greenwood Cemetery in Park Rapids, MN.