Leroy D. Hranicka

TRIMONT - A Celebration of Life Service for Leroy D. Hranicka, 86, of Trimont, Minn., will be held 10:30 a.m. Friday, October 17, 2008, at the United Methodist Church in Trimont, Minn., with Pastor Joel Xavier officiating. Burial will be in Elm Creek Cemetery in Trimont, Minn.

Leroy died on Tuesday morning, October 14, 2008, at Trimont Health Care Center in Trimont, Minn. Visitation will be from 5-7 p.m. today at Kramer Family Funeral Home in Trimont and one hour prior to the services at the church on Friday. Messages of sympathy may be sent to the family online at www.kramerfuneralhome.com

Leroy Delfield Hranicka was born May 6, 1922, to John and Mary (Brabec) Hranicka in Atwater, Minn. He moved with his parents to Mora, Atwater and Sandstone until 1933, when they moved back to Jackson. He attended rural and public schools then worked for Coast to Coast Store and then at Dayton, Ohio, before going into the U. S. Army 5th Air Force in November of 1942. Served in New Guinea, Luzon, Australia, Phillipines and Japan until 1945. He married Zola Christophel on June 1, 1947, at First Presbyterian Church in Alpha, Minn. He worked at Coast to Coast in Jackson, Minn. until 1953. Then joined Peoples Natural Gas in January 1953, working in Cannon Falls, Blooming Prairie and then Trimont in 1970 and retired in June 1984. Leroy was a member of United Methodist Church in Trimont, Minn. Foster-Bernhardt American Legion Post 373 in Trimont, Bohemian ZCBJ Lodge and volunteered at the Trimont Health Care Center. He greatly enjoyed playing cards, camping, going for coffee and visiting.

He is survived by his two sons, Kevin Hranicka and wife, Sharon, of Keosauqua, Iowa, Gary Hranicka and wife, Karen, of Brownton, Minn.; grandchildren, Aaron Hranicka of Champlin, Minn. Matthew and Emily Hranicka of Hutchinson, Shellie and Gary Townsend of Auxvasse, Mo.; one great-granddaughter, Julie Townsend; brother and sister-in-law, Harvey Christophel and wife, Bernice, of rural Alpha, Minn. and Kenneth Kabe and wife, Joyce, of Fairmont, Minn.; many nieces and nephews and other relatives and friends.

In addition to his parents, Leroy was preceded in death by his wife, Zola, on November 29, 1996; one brother; brothers and sisters-in-law and other relatives.