Lawrence E. Leonarduzzi

He was born Jan. 20, 1964, in Elgin Ill., the son of Felix L. and Margaret (Schreiber) Leonarduzzi. At that time the family lived in Schaumburg, Ill. and then moved to St. Joseph, Mich. in 1968 when Larry was four years old. He attended Jefferson Elementary and Upton Middle School.

The family vacationed and camped throughout the Upper Peninsula and in October 1976 made Iron River their home. Larry then attended West Iron County Middle and High School graduating with the Class of 1982.

After graduation he worked in Iron River a few years before moving to Seattle. He was employed doing construction work with Woodman Construction of Kirkland, Wash. While living in Seattle he enjoyed going to the mountains and skiing.

He moved back to Iron River in 1997 to start his lifelong career as a heavy equipment operator. He was employed by McMahon Brothers, Spicer Trucking, Bar Enterprises, and the Iron County Road Commission where he was currently employed. In addition to his full-time job, he started his own excavating business as owner operator.

Larry was an experienced and knowledgeable mechanic and heavy equipment operator. He was an absolute genius with a torch and a wrench in his hand. There did not seem to be anything that he could not fix or re-engineer to make it work better. There was always some kind of project that he enjoyed fiddling with in his garage (be it his project or someone else’s). His ingenuity and skill with his trade and projects will leave a big hole in the Iron River area and beyond.

Larry’s hobbies included stock car racing and helping with the demolition derby at the Iron County Fair. With his love of the water, he was fortunate to do all types of fishing and boating on Minnie Lake where he would put his pontoon boat out on the water at night and sit for hours enjoying his surroundings. In winter, the ice fishing equipment came out and he would invite friends and family to join him. His newest hobby consisted of making a variety of sausage with family and friends.

Larry married Tracy L. Pellizzaro on Aug. 3, 2013, at their home on Minnie Lake.

Larry was a kind, loving and generous person to all, who will be greatly missed by his wife Tracy; son, Anthony (Breanna) Leonarduzzi of Snoqualmie, Wash,; his cat Simon; stepdaughters, Kelsey Przybylski of Iron River and Danielle Przybylski of Iron Mountain; mother, Margaret Leonarduzzi of Iron River, mother-in-law, Mary Pellizzaro of Gaastra; sister, Marsha Leonarduzzi-Linthicum of Iron River; brothers, Greg (Stacy) Leonarduzzi and Kenneth Leonarduzzi, both of Iron River; granddaughter Natalye, aunt, Lida Leonarduzzi of Benton Harbor, Mich.; and uncle, Larry Schreiber of St Joseph, and many nieces, nephews, cousins, extended family and friends.

Larry was preceded in death by his father, Felix L. Leonarduzzi; father-in-law Donald R. Pellizzaro; grandparents, Felice and Angelica (Tonello) Leonarduzzi and Eugene J. and Katherine (Kowalski) Schreiber.

A celebration of life will be held at a later date.

The family requests in lieu of flowers, donations may be made in Larry’s memory to Michigan United Conservation Clubs, at MUCC.org in memory of his love of fishing.

Condolences may be expressed to the family of Lawrence E. Leonarduzzi online at www.jacobsfuneralhomeir.com.

Funeral arrangements are by the Jacobs Funeral Home, Inc. of Iron River.