- Date Of Birth: December 23, 1925
- Date Of Death: June 10, 2021
- State: Illinois
Manuel Victor Leon, 95, of Galesburg, died at 2:12 p.m. Thursday, June 10, 2021, at Hawthorne Inn, Galesburg. Manuel was born December 23, 1925, in Galesburg, the son of Pedro and Delphina (Galves) Leon.
Manuel served in the US Army during WWII fighting in the Battle of the Bulge, earning a bronze star and the purple heart. He married Barbara Lou Engstrom on January 20, 1948, in Chicago.
She preceded him in death on February 28, 2018. Manuel is survived by two daughters, Gwendolyn Schulte of Colorado Springs, CO, and Karen Engstrom of Galesburg; his four grandchildren, Brandi (Michael) Elkin, Rachel Grimsley, Anthony Schulte, and Erick Thronson; six great-grandchildren, Samantha Elkin, Kyle Elkin, Victoria Elkin, Blake Grimsley, Tayla Grimsley, and Deklen Leon Schulte.
Manuel is also survived by three siblings, Sam Leon, Mary Vega, and Jessie Perez all of Galesburg.
Along with his parents and wife, he was preceded in death by one daughter Mary Lucille Leon on December 23, 1999; and three sisters, Rose, Julia, and Guadalupe. Manuel worked at Maytag for over 33 years, retiring on January 1, 1991. He was a member of Immaculate Heart of Mary Catholic Church, as well as a lifetime member of the VFW and AMVETS.
