On Sept 22, 2008 at 5:00 pm Our Lord put the finishing touches on the life of Robert Bruce Leveille.
Robert “Bob” Leveille was born September 21, 1934 at the family home to Bridget (Wara) Gallagher and Amos Leveille of St. Ignace, MI. He attended Ursaline Academy until the eighth grade in St. Igance and graduated from LaSalle High School in 1952 as class president. After high school, Mr. Leveille perused his lifelong ambition and graduated from Ferris State College (1952-1956) with a BS in Pharmacy. It was at Ferris College he met Shirley Ann Piechowiak of Linwood MI who also graduated as a pharmacist. They were married October 20, 1956 at St. Valentine Catholic Church, Beaver, MI. Mr. Leveille leaves his wife, Shirley, their children: Sister Lethia Marie Leveille OSF (Mishawaka, IN), Dennis (Mary Pat Marenger) Leveille (Escanaba, MI), Daniel (Lori Pittman) Leveille (Cumming, GA), Renee (David) Theut (Sault Ste. Marie, MI), 13 grandchildren, and 4 great grandchildren. Three brothers also survive and they are Louis (Patricia) of St. Ignace, MI, Hugh (Mary) of Huntley, IL, and William (Patricia) of Prineville, OR. Both parents, his sister Mary Brockway, and a son Hugh J (1980) preceded him in death.
During his childhood, Mr. Leveille worked at LaRocque Drug Store in St. Ignace, MI. Throughout his college years he worked on the Mackinaw Straits boats. He first began on the railroad car ferry “Chief Wawatam” and eventually worked on all 5 Mackinaw Strait car ferries. From 1957 through 1965, Mr. Leveille worked at various pharmacies around the Upper Peninsula. In 1966 he and Shirley bought and operated the “City Drug Store” in Escanaba MI until 1977. At the time of its closing, “City Drug” was one of two drug stores in the state of Michigan that had a working soda fountain. After closing “City Drug”, Mr. Leveille worked for the next 19 years as a staff pharmacist at St. Francis Hospital, Escanaba, MI. He retired in 1996.
Mr. Leveille held membership in Ducks Unlimited, Wildlife, White Tails, and Rocky Mountain Elks. Through out his life, he held positions in various civic organizations. He was Treasurer of LaSalle High’s School Board, President of the U.P. Pharmacists Association, and served in the local hospice program. He was a lifelong member of the Knights of Columbus and was both a Third and Fourth Degree Knight. Mr. Leveille was an active Eucharistic Minister at All Saints Catholic Church and made 15 annual retreats to the Jesuit Retreat House in Oshkosh WI. He loved hunting and going to the family’s “Camp Wawatam”, in Manistique, Michigan. He was a man of faith and devoted to family and friends.
Visitation for Robert “Bob” B. Leveille will be held from 2:00 P.M to 5:00 PM Thursday at All Saints Church in Gladstone. Mass of Christian Burial will follow at All Saints Church at 5:00 PM Thursday with Reverend Father Arnold Grambow officiating. Luncheon will follow services at All Saints Parish Hall. Internment will be at Holy Cross Cemetery; Escanaba, Michigan on Friday.
Memorials may be made to the “Elevator Fund” at All Saints Catholic Church. Mass, rosaries, and prayers are being requested by the family in lieu of flowers. Envelopes for the “Elevator Fund” are available at the Skradski-Boyce Funeral Homes of Delta County who are assisting the Leveille family or at All Saints Church during the visitation.
