Leo D. G. Sauerbrei, 82, of Tripoli, died Monday, May 5, 2014, at his home in Tripoli.
Funeral services will be held at 2:00 p.m. Friday, May 9, 2014, at Grace Lutheran Church in Tripoli with Rev. Paul Nelson officiating. Friends may call from 4:00 p.m. to 7:00 p.m., Thursday, May 8th at Rettig Funeral Home in Tripoli and for one hour preceding services at the church on Friday. Interment will follow in the Church Cemetery.
Leo Dietrich George, son of Floyd and Blanche Pape Sauerbrei, was born September 24, 1931, in Fremont Township of rural Bremer County, Iowa. He was baptized and confirmed at Grace Lutheran Church in Tripoli, and graduated from Tripoli High School. On July 12, 1953, he was united in marriage with Donna Kuethe at Grace Lutheran Church in Tripoli. Leo worked for many years at Rath Packing Co. in Waterloo and also farmed near Tripoli. Leo and Donna moved to New Braunfels, Texas in the mid-1980’s. Following Donna’s death in 1999, Leo returned to Tripoli. He was a lifelong member of Grace Lutheran Church in Tripoli, and had also been a member of the Wapsi Sportsmen’s Club.
Leo is survived by two sons, Dan and his wife, Kelle Kolkmeier of Cedar Rapids and Perry of Tripoli; four grandchildren, Jesse Sauerbrei, Niki Sauerbrei-Emanuel, Cari Sulzberger, and Emily Sauerbrei; one great grandson, Max Sauerbrei; and one sister, Shirley Doepke and her husband, Harold of Troy, Michigan.
In addition to his wife, Donna, who died January 23, 1999, Leo was preceded in death by his parents; and infant brother, Ray; and a sister, Jean Biermann.
