Loras N. LeConte

Loras N. LeConte, 81, of Dubuque, IA died of natural causes at home on Sunday February 21, 2021.

A Mass of Christian Burial will be held at 11:00 a.m. Friday, March 5, 2021 at St. Joseph Key West Catholic Church in Dubuque, IA with Rev. Rodney Allers officiating. Please remember to wear your mask and if you are unable to attend a live stream of the funeral mass will be on Leonard Funeral Home & Crematory Facebook page. Family and friends may gather after 10:00 a.m. Friday at the church until time of mass. Burial will be at a later date in Mount Olivet Cemetery.

Loras was born on January 4, 1940 in Dubuque, the last of five children of Peter & Adeline (Nemmers) LeConte. He married Mary Jane Wiederholt on June 3, 1961 at St. Joseph Key West Church.

Loras survived polio as a young child, attended Smith School rural Dubuque, and graduated from St. Columbkille’s High School, Dubuque in 1957. In 1959, Loras enlisted in the US Army and served in the Iowa National Guard until 1965. He was a lifelong devoted Catholic.

Loras farmed with his wife and family around the Platteville, WI area until 1987. They relocated to Las Vegas, NV with their youngest son, Dominic, where they began a new life with Loras operating heavy equipment for O’Rourke Plumbing. Loras and Mary Jane retired back in Dubuque in 2012.

Loras & Mary Jane loved playing euchre with many friends & relatives. And began playing dominoes in Las Vegas and passed on that entertainment to their children and grandchildren. He enjoyed Palomino horses in his youth and tractors in his retirement doing farm-work & mowing lawns but not before gathering for coffee with his buddies each morning. 

Loras is survived by his six children: Jean Marie Schwingle, Dodgeville, WI; Larry (Brenda) LeConte, Jolene (Peter) Kingeter both of Platteville, WI; Jeff (Pam) LeConte, Dodgeville, Marc LeConte, of Cedar Rapids, IA; Dominic LeConte, Las Vegas, NV. Seven Grandchildren: Whitney (Kyle) Timmerman, Paige (fiancé Brett) LeConte, Nick (Molly) & Matt (Kelli) Kingeter, Mitchell, Xochitl, & Cecelia LeConte. Four Great-grandchildren: Henry, Calvin, & Hayden Kingeter and Trey Timmerman.  A sister, Darlene O’Rourke & brother, Leonard (Doris) LeConte both of Dubuque. Sister-in-law, Anna LeConte & brother-in-law, Paul O’Rourke, nieces, nephews and friends.

He is preceded in death by his wife of 54 years Mary Jane, his parents, his brother, Richard LeConte; his sister, Mary Jane O’Rourke; brother-in-law, Patrick O’Rourke.

To send flowers to the family, please visit our floral store.