- Date Of Birth: March 9, 1933
- Date Of Death: December 11, 2020
- State: Minnesota
Leonard “Sonny” DeWitt, Jr. age 87, of Laporte, MN passed away Friday, December 11, 2020 at St. Joseph’s Hospital in Park Rapids. He was born on March 9, 1933 in Cass Lake, MN to Leonard and Esther DeWitt, the second of four children.
Sonny grew up and attended school in Cass Lake. Following High School, he served in the U.S. Navy. He married Shirley Steele on July 11, 1951 and together they had six children. Tragically, Shirley died in an automobile accident on May 12, 1967. Sonny was a well-liked, popular young man who loved a good time. He played guitar and sang for family and friends and performed in night clubs and bars around the Cass Lake area. Sonny was often joined by his sister June, who was also an incredibly talented singer. He worked for his father in the electrical field in North Dakota for many years.
In 1961 Sonny and his father established DeWitt Electric Company and moved to Walker, MN where he worked for approximately 20 years. In 1975 he was hired at the Cass County Sheriff’s Department and worked there until retirement. Sonny was an avid hunter and fisherman. He loved the outdoors and all that nature had to offer. He will be remembered as a loving son, father, grandfather, brother, and friend. He will be greatly missed by all his family and friends.
The family that Sonny joins again are his parents; Leonard and Esther, his wife; Shirley, one infant daughter; Vicky Lynn, one sister; June (DeWitt) Oslin, one brother; Robert and his wife Dolly (Premo).
Those he leaves behind to cherish his memory are his daughter; Deborah (Charles) Thompson of Walker, four sons; Leonard III of Akeley, Garrett (Brenda) of Brainerd, Mike (Angie) of Laporte and Steven of Akeley, one sister; Karen (Robert) Henkel of Bemidji, nine grandchildren, sixteen great grandchildren and four great-great grandchildren, five nieces, six nephews, numerous great nieces, and nephews.
WORDS SONNY WANTS TO BE REMEMBERED BY: “I did the best I could, I loved & cherished my family & friends and never put them down and I loved my “soul mate” with all my heart.
