Joseph L. Ley

Joseph L. Ley, 86, De Pere, passed away Wednesday evening, March 11, 2015. The son of Joseph H. and Mary (Baeten) Ley was born April 3, 1928 on the family farm south of De Pere in the Town of Rockland. He was a graduate of East De Pere High School in 1944 and St. Norbert College in 1948 at the age of 20. Joseph was united in marriage to Patricia A. McGee on August 16, 1952 at St. Peter’s Cathedral in Marquette, MI. He served his country in the US Army Reserve Officer Training Corps and the US Army reserves, attaining the rank of Captain. Joseph owned Statewide Insurance Co in Green Bay for 55 years. He was a lifelong member of St. Francis Xavier Catholic Church in De Pere. He enjoyed gardening, sailing, camping, traveling south for the winter, genealogy, and was an avid runner participating in marathons into his 80’s. His family was so important to him, and he loved them dearly. He will be deeply missed by his loving wife, Pat; children: Kathleen (John Norback) Ley and their son, Sebastian Norback; Jane (John) Gutschow and their children: Derek (Rachelle) Gutschow, Mathew (Danica) Gutschow, and Teddi Gutschow; Nancy (Perry) Lindquist and their children: Brandon (special friend Jasmine) Lindquist, Kenton (fiancé- Maddie) Lindquist, and Todd Lindquist; Karleen Cross and the late Joseph F. Ley’s daughter, KaCie Ley; Michael (Cathy) Ley and their children: Andrew (special friend Laura) Ley, Adam (special friend Nicole) Ley, and Aubrey Ley; David (Jackie) Ley and their sons: Patrick Ley and Parker Ley; great-grandchildren: “The A-Team”: Ayden, Anthony, and Adelyn Gutschow; sisters: Ann Hare and Mary Pat Aschenbrenner; brother, Donald (Ann) Ley; brothers-in-law and sisters-in-law: James McGee, Chuck (Mary) McGee, Alice (Dick) Tyler, and Alice Waco; as well as other family and friends. Joseph was preceded in death by his dear daughter, Marilyn Ley; dear son, Joseph F. Ley; mother and father, Joseph and Mary Ley; mother-in-law and father-in-law, William and Elsie McGee; dear sister, Helen Flanagan; brother, John Ley; brother-in-law, Bill McGee; sisters-in-law, Evelyn McGee and Mary Ann (Paul) Horal; a niece Patricia (Horal) Murphy and nephews Bill McGee and Tim McGee, as well as other family and friends. Family and friends may visit Cotter Funeral Home, 860 N. Webster Ave., De Pere, Friday, March 13, 2015 from 4:00 p.m. to 8:00 p.m., where there will be a parish prayer service at 7:00 p.m. Visitation will continue on Saturday from 9:30 a.m. until the hour of Mass at 11:00 a.m. at St. Francis Xavier Catholic Church, 220 S. Michigan St., De Pere, with Fr. Richard Getchel officiating. Interment will be in Mt. Olivet Cemetery, De Pere. Online condolences may be expressed at www.cotterfuneralhome.com. Memorials may be directed to St. Francis Xavier Catholic Church, De Pere. The family extends a special thank you to Unity Hospice and the doctors and nurses that cared for Joe, as well as all the friends who offered their support. From the Prayer of St. Francis “It is in dying that we are born to eternal life”