To the editor:
Leelanau County lost one of its treasures earlier this month. Leonard Ole Thoreson of Glen Arbor, died at age 98. I was disappointed to find his obituary tucked like an afterthought on page 6 of the March 20th edition of the Enterprise. His passing should have been front page news.
Descendant of original settlers, a veteran of World War II and a lifelong county resident, Leonard was a gift to us all. A delightful person by nature he shared endless stories and details about his life, the lives of his family and those of his many friends. In the book Recollections of Port Oneida editor Tom Van Zoeren tells Leonard’s story as well as many of the stories Leonard shared with him about others. I recommend this fascinating reading.
It was a love of Port Oneida history that kindled my friendship with Leonard. We talked whenever opportunity presented itself. We spoke of shared friends and what had become of them. We spoke of the land, the sites of our stories. We honored what we had experienced and we laughed.
I give thanks for Leonard moments and will miss them. I feel sad for myself and for Leelanau County. A window into the past has closed forever.
Mary Watkins Crane Traverse City
