Leonard F. Moens

Leonard Frederick Moens, 86, of Atkinson, IL, passed away on Thursday, July 29, 2021, at Allure of Geneseo.  A Mass of Christian Burial will be held at 11:00 a.m. on Tuesday, August 3, 2021, at St. Anthony Catholic Church, Atkinson.  Reverend Stephen Engelbrecht will officiate.  Burial will follow at St. Anthony Cemetery, Atkinson.  Visitation will be held from 9:00 – 10:30 am at Vandemore Funeral Homes & Crematory – Atkinson Chapel on Tuesday, prior to the mass.  A Recitation of the Rosary will be performed at 8:30 a.m., prior to the visitation. In lieu of flowers, memorials may be made to the Leonard Moens Memorial fund for future use on agricultural scholarships.

Leonard F. Moens was born on April 8, 1935, to August and Clara (DePaepe) Moens in Rural Geneseo, Illinois.  Leonard grew up on a farm 5 miles North of Atkinson.  He went to school through the 8th grade at Mt. Sunny country school and went to Atkinson High School graduating in the spring of 1953 where he enjoyed playing high school sports, especially football.  He was especially proud of the Atkinson fall 1952 football team he, brother Vern, and cousin June, were a part of.  It was the first year of 11-man football at Atkinson (played 6-man up to that point) and they went undefeated and were Corn belt Conference Champs.  He had a high regard for Coach Hayworth. 

After Highschool he worked construction (hauled brick to the brick layers building the Geneseo High School), raised and sold Duroc boars, and was part of a surveying business with his brother Rich.  He served in the Armed Services from 1954 to 1962 in the Army Field Artillery. He served at Camp Chaffee, Camp McCoy and was a gunner on M114 155mm howitzers with Battery B 162 FA Reg at Henry Barracks Puerto Rico and Ft Riley KS. On March 30, 1955, Len married his Highschool sweetheart and the love of his life Mary Ann Sherbeyn at the Chapel in Ft. Chaffee Arkansas.  They were blessed with 5 children.  Len and Mary Ann were married for 66+ years.

In the spring of 1958 Len & Mary Ann moved to the farm East of Atkinson (in which they still reside today) where they started farming and raised their family.  Farming was Lens profession that he chose and did it in a passionate way.  He loved raising livestock.  He was a cattle feeder and pork producer to the core and was known as a “good hog and cattleman”.   The “lean years” of the early 60’s he worked in the shops at John Deere and IH during the winter months to make ends meet so he could keep farming.  Len didn’t know the word quit!  Len was fond of the times during his farming career when he and his brothers and neighbors worked back and forth helping each other out with farming tasks such as shelling corn, baling hay, working cattle, and cutting hogs.  Len retired at the age of 80 (kinda) and enjoyed most being able to continue farming helping his son Brent put the crop in and take the crop out each year, working ground ahead of the planter, running the combine, and hauled grain to town through the 2020 crop year.  He also knew how to “fix” everything.

In December of 1973, Len went to Auctioneering School and graduated from the Reisch Auction College in Mason City, Iowa on December 15, 1973, and started an Auctioneering Business.  He auctioned for 35 years. He also did appraisal work and auctioned many charities and fundraising events such as the Henry County 4-H barrow sale, Atkinson Heritage Days, and Annawan Jaycee events.

Len was always there to lend a helping hand.  He pulled the stuck school bus and stuck teenagers and neighbors out of the ditch numerous times – too many to count.  Len loved a good story – mostly telling them, having a beer and a shot, sitting on the front porch with Mary Ann watching cars go by drinking their morning coffee, visiting with friends and neighbors, family cookouts, and spending time with his family, grandchildren, and great grandchildren.  Len was an Atkinson Boosters 4-H club leader for many years, coached 4-H basketball, and would step in and umpire a little league baseball game if asked to.  Len enjoyed Hunting, Trapping, and gardening in his spare time.  He was the preferred supplier of produce to residents at the Atkinson Heritage Square Apartments.  Len was not a traveler but enjoyed family trips to Hawaii, Colorado, and California.  Len was a member of the St. Anthony Catholic Church his entire life, Atkinson American Legion Charles DeCrane Post 724, Moose Lodge, Farm Bureau, and 40 & 8.

Len is survived by his wife of 66+ years, Mary Ann, Children Mike (Peg) Moens of Eureka, Pam Essingler of Prophetstown, Theresa (Rob) Sheldon of Bullard Texas, Brent (Tanya) Moens of Annawan, and Chad Moens of Davenport Iowa.  Grandchildren; Maribeth (Adam) Rocke, Stephanie Moens, Brandon Moens, Paul (Kim) Moens, Alex Essingler, Katrina (Travis) VanDerWal, Andrea (Ian) Smetona, Kyle Sheldon, Cassie Moens DVM, Cole (Meho) Moens, Caitlyn Moens.  Great Grandchildren; Fiona, Donavan, Dawson, Dallas, and Foster Rocke.  Wyatt, Holden, Levi, and Clara VanDerWal.  Quin and Adler Smetona.  Alani and Amelia Jackson.  Mila Jo Moens and Baby Moens due in September.  Sisters Helen Beuseling, Arlene (Dave) Pacquer, Darlene (Maurice) DeSutter, and Carolyn Burke.  Sister and Brother-in-Laws Stella Sherbeyn, Lucille Hulslander, Diana Gannon, Robert Sherbeyn, and Anita (Bruce) Carmany.  Many Nieces and Nephews. Leonard was preceded in death by his parents August and Clara, Mother and Father-in-Law Louis and Anna Mae Sherbeyn, Sister and Brother-in-Law Lenny and Racheal Mock, Brother and Sister-in-law Ralph (Buck) and Mary Lou Moens, Brother Rich, Brother Vern, Brother-in-laws Web Bueseling, James Burke, Mike Gannon, and Augie Sherbeyn.

The family would like to thank the nursing staffs at Iowa City Hospital and Allure of Geneseo, Kathy VanHeerzle for scheduling all the visits, Compasses Hospice, Chaplian Roger, and Father Engelbrecht for the great compassionate care Len received.