Leonard Alfeld

Leonard Alfeld, 87, passed away Thursday, December 29, 2022. He is preceded in death by his parents, Elmer and Edna Alfeld, as well as his brother Richard Alfeld and sister-in-law Ruth Alfeld. He is survived by his three nieces, Pam Ziegenbein (Paul), Patty Alfeld, and Sandy Hill (Randy).  He is also survived by three great nieces, Megan Wilson (Mark), Bailey Hill, and Emma Hill, as well as two great nephews, Travis Ziegenbein (Madison), and Tyler Ziegenbein. Len was thrilled to also have two great, great nieces in Harper and Reagan Ziegenbein, and was looking forward to the birth of a great, great Wilson nephew expected in a few short weeks. Len lived his entire life in St. Louis. He graduated from Cleveland High School and then went on to Washington University. He served his country in the army from 1956-58. Len began his work career at Ralston Purina, but the majority of his career was spent working for the Army Corps of Engineers.

Len had a great group of friends with whom he socialized and traveled. And not only did he explore and visit the many great places in the United States, but he also frequently traveled abroad. He wanted to see the world, and sometimes did it on organized tours, but really loved to see it from a cruise ship. Len loved cruising! And when he couldn't find friends to go with him, he just went by himself, and by the time he got home, he had even more folks he could call friends! He never met a stranger and loved to visit with anyone.

Not having any children of his own, Len was very involved in the lives of his nieces and never missed a family event or holiday. He was there for it all; birthdays, graduations, and weddings, and everything else in between.

Len had a passion and a heart to serve and care for others and and to support causes in which he believed. He gave hundreds and hundreds of volunteer hours to many organizations in the St. Louis area. His love of animals led him to volunteer at the Humane Society of Missouri as well as being a docent at the St. Louis Zoo. He also loved the fine arts, attending many music-oriented programs and performances. This led him to volunteer at the Fox Theater where he could serve patrons as well as enjoy the performances put on there. Len was very concerned about the well-being of his community and worked hard to help get elected political candidates that he felt would best serve his community.

A service celebrating his life will be held at 10:30 AM on Friday, January 13th at the Ziegenhein Funeral Home on Gravois Avenue. There will be a reception immediately following the service. Len will be laid to rest in a private burial at Sunset Memorial Gardens.