DANA KEITH LEASURE

Photo: Obituary: Dana Keith Leasure, 58, resident of West Salem, beloved husband, father, grandfather, brother, and uncle, died suddenly on Tuesday, May 21st, at Lodi Hospital. Dana "Dane" as he was known to many and "Pappy" as he was affectionately called by his grandchildren, and was born in Uniontown, PA to William & Sarah Leasure on Dec. 24, 1954. Dana grew up in Brunswick, OH, and was a graduate of Brunswick H. S. in 1973. He then earned a Bachelor of Arts degree at the University of Akron in 1978 where he was a 3-yr. varsity letterman in track & field. Dana was a master sportsman. He could not drive around a rural road in all the surrounding counties without pointing out woods and fields where he had hunted. For years he filled his walls with birds and big game trophies, finally accomplishing his dream of entering the Ohio Big Buck Club in 2010, a dream he had helped his daughter Amber realize many years before him through his fervent cultivation of his land for the enjoyment of his family. He passed on his contagious passion for hunting deer, turkey, goose, duck, rabbit, and squirrel to his children, as he did his love of sports. He attended the Ohio State Track Meet each year, and trained his daughters, Courtney & Amber, who were distinguished H. S. competitors in discus, his favorite event. Of these activities, and of his family and history, he was a matchless storyteller, swinging his audiences through laughter and tears, a gift that is carried on by his son and namesake, Dane, who is pursuing a career on the stage. His family will always remember getting together each Christmas Eve for his joyous birthday celebration. All of these great passions, however, could not compare to the boundless love he showed in countless ways to his wife, the love of his life, DeeAnna Leasure, whom he married on Oct. 4th, 1980 and his children, and grandchildren. Whether it was performing the hundreds of daily duties he took joy in doing for DeeAnna, opening up his home to his children and grandchildren when they needed a place to stay, or waking up early to put kids on the bus, take them to doctor's appointments, or taking them for the day or night, his stability and love will forever remain a model, and his absence will be felt terribly. After working for thirty years at RTA in Cleveland to support his family, they take comfort in the thought that he was able to enjoy nearly five years of retirement in the home he built on fifty acres outside of West Salem, which they proudly called "Greenbridge Farm."Dana is survived by his wife, DeeAnna (Reynolds) Leasure; his children, Courtney (& Bob) Dieter, Amber (& Eric) Leasure-Earnhardt, and Dane Leasure; his grandchildren, Kathryn, Remington, Robert, and Jenevieve Dieter, and Lochlann and Molly Leasure-Earnhardt; his siblings, William (& Lori) Leasure of West Salem, Diane (& Barry) Heckerd of Oak Harbor, Mark (& Jamie) Leasure of Lorain, April (& Dan) Jones of Brown Deer, WI, and Bert (& Lori) Leasure of West Salem; and many nieces and nephews. In the week before he died, he visited his son in Virginia and watched him graduate with his master's degree and took all of his grandchildren fishing at his bridge. Dana always recalled that his own father died while planting a tree, doing what he loved. The day that he died, Dana planted the last seeds of his own garden with his wife and grandson. Dana, Uncle Dane, Pappy, we love you, and we'll miss you. Memorial Visitation for family and friends will be held on Saturday, May 25, 2013 from 2 to 6 PM at Carlson Funeral Home 3477 Medina Road (Rt. 18 & River Styx Rd.) Medina, Ohio. Family Service will be private. In lieu of flowers, donations may be sent to Ronald McDonald House of Akron 245 Locust St. Akron, Ohio 44302. Flowers Link: http://www.baywindowflorist.com