LeRoy Walter Sigler, 89, passed away peacefully on Sunday, November 22, 2015 at Edgewater Haven Nursing Home in Port Edwards, Wisconsin where he had been a resident for the last seven months.

Funeral services will be held Saturday at 1 PM at Sacred Heart Catholic Church in Nekoosa, WI. Rev. John Swing will officiate. Visitation will be held Friday from 4:00 until 7:00 PM at Feldner/Ritchay Funeral Home in Nekoosa, WI and Saturday at the church from 12 noon until the time of service. Online condolences may be expressed at ritchayfuneralhome.com.

Lee was born on August 3, 1926 in Racine, Wisconsin to the late LeRoy Ivan and Anna Ruth (Wacynski) Sigler. He married Joanne Isabel Nash on June 21, 1947 at St. Alexander’s Church in Port Edwards, Wisconsin. She died January 8, 1967 in Sylvania, Ohio. He then married Sylvia Louise Schmidt on September 20, 1969 at St. Joseph’s Church in Sylvania, Ohio. She survives him.

Lee served in the Army in World War II and was honorably discharged a Second Lieutenant. He was commissioned at Fort Benning, Georgia and spent a year in Korea. He graduated from the University of Wisconsin Law School in 1952 and was a member of the Wisconsin and Ohio Bar Associations.

Lee was corporate counsel and assistant secretary for Butler Paper Co. and assistant manager of the law department of Nekoosa Edwards Paper Co. from 1952 to 1966. While in Port Edwards, he was instrumental in developing the Alexander Field/South Wood County Airport in Wisconsin Rapids. He served as president of the Village of Port Edwards and was a director of the area chamber of commerce for many years.

He moved to Ohio in 1966 where he was president and general counsel for Seilon, Inc. While at Seilon he litigated a case concerning the “long-arm statute,” setting a precedent in the state of Ohio. One of several holdings of Seilon was the Nevada National Bank. This banking experience led him back to Wisconsin where he first acquired Greenwood State Bank in Lake Mills, Wisconsin in 1976. Shortly thereafter, the opportunity arose to acquire a controlling interest in Nekoosa Port Edwards State Bank. In 1979 Lee purchased his interest in the bank and moved his family back to Wisconsin.

Lee was very community-oriented. Of his many accomplishments he was particularly proud of helping pave the way for the Lakes Medical Center and Lester Public Library in the town of Rome, Wisconsin. He donated the land and countless hours to this development.

He served on many boards; including Thomson International Com, Thomson Veracruz S.A., Thomson-Poole, Inc., Inmobilaria Elda S.A., Air-Way Sanitizer, Inc., Nevada National Bank, Nevada National Bancorporation, Inc., Lamb Enterprises, Inc., Lamb Communications, Inc., Greenwood Bancorporation, Inc., Gross Common Carrier, Inc., Apollo, Lou-Ques Corp., Broadline Leasing, Freightline, South Wood County United Fund, Port Edwards Water Utility, Tri-City Airways, Village of Port Edwards, Tri-Wood County Airport Commission, Tri City Healthcare, Inc., Advanced Medical Equipment, Inc., South Wood County Airport Commission, Nekoosa Business Council, Nekoosa Industrial Development, Sacred Heart Parish Council, Nekoosa Public Library, and Riverview Healthcare Foundation, Inc., where he served as president. He helped create and served as secretary of Sacred Heart Foundation.

He was a past member of Tri-City Bar Association, Circuit Bar Association, Toastmasters Club, Phi Delta Phi Lodge and Elks Lodge.

Lee is survived by his wife, Sylvia and four children, Suzanne Sigler, Cynthia Lee (Jack) Whittaker, Robb Nash (Sarah) Sigler, and Paul (Robin) Sigler; grandchildren Stephanie (Lance) Lowrey, Nicholas (Erin) Idczak-Whittaker, Elizabeth, Rebecca, Molly, Catherine and Mary Sigler, Alyssa (Eric) Schumann, Kayla, Jared and Grant Sigler; great-grandchildren Keira and Jordan Lowrey and Nash Idczak-Whittaker; great-great grandchild Roman Draman; brothers Richard (Donna) and Leon (Jackie) Sigler. He was predeceased by his parents, first wife Joanne; son Lee Scott Sigler; brother James Sigler, sisters Charlene (Francis) Sautner and Shirley (Boyd) Faulkner.

The family would like to thank the staff at Edgewater Haven Nursing Home for their love and support given to Lee and his family. They would also like to thank his caregivers at Riverview Hospital and Marshfield Clinic.

Memorials in Lee’s name may be given to Sacred Heart Foundation, Assumption Foundation, Inc. or Juvenile Diabetes Research Foundation.