Leo's Bio Since High School

I graduated from Kuemper High School in Carroll in 1963, the year John Kennedy was shot. Eleven days after I graduated, I left for Winona, Minnesota to join the Christian Brothers, an international religious order of teaching brothers. I stayed with them for four years and then decided it was no longer my calling.

I did continue to attend college at St. Marys in Winona and graduated in 1968 with a BA in English and Theology and a minor Education.

The Viet Nam War was on; I met with the draft board in Carroll and told them I would not participate in the war. They gave me a Conscientious Objector status and assigned me to two years of alternative service which I had to find. It had to be far from home, low pay, and for a non-profit organization.

I moved to Miami, Florida with my girlfriend, Kathy, and found work in a residential treatment center for troubled or retarded children. That was my "alternative service" for the draft. Two years later, Kathy and I were married; we stayed in Miami for one more year, then took a three month trip through Europe and traveled by train to 14 different countries.

We moved to Denver in 1972 and found teaching jobs in a small private school for troubled kids. I have worked at six different schools in Denver over the last 35 years, always with children with emotional or learning problems. I’ve always enjoyed working with those kids in small settings where we could develop a real sense of community.

Our three kids, Aaron, Bridget and Martin are all married and living in Denver also. Aaron is married to Kelly, Bridget is married to Pablo, and Martin is married to Maggie. Bridgie and Pablo have a 20 month old son, Nicholas Andres.
It is great having everyone close by.

I retired a year ago but still teach part time in some alternative high schools; I teach a class that I developed called Leadership and Character Development. It’s still fun being around kids and it gets me out of the house. I also do some pottery, composting with worms, meet at the coffee shop with friends, read, take walks, ride my bike with Kathy. Life is good.