Leon "Chief" Lozen

Honesty and integrity are two of the most honorable traits a man can have, and Chief Lozen possessed them both. A warm hearted man who placed his family above all, he lived with conviction, all while living fully and completely surrounded by those he loved. He added much to the lives of others as a devoted husband, dedicated father and grandfather, and gave his all and then some. Generous and kind, his personable nature and fun loving ways will be deeply missed and treasured.

As the winter of 1926 was forging ahead along the northeastern edge of Michigan, those in the community of Moltke were preparing for the cold months ahead and anticipating the upcoming holidays. It was an exciting time in the country, right in the heyday of the Roaring Twenties when big bands were king, and prohibition was the law of the land. Major U.S. manufacturers were implementing the first eight hour, five day work week, and factory towns were flourishing. For Alexander and Clara (Joppich) Lozen, nothing was more exciting than their own anticipation and the welcome birth of their son, Leon, and twin sister, born on December 4, 1926.

Born nestled in the warmth of his family home, young Leon was also welcomed by his five older brothers, Lawrence, Harold, Melvin, Donald and Ivan. His twin sister, Lois was the only girl in their bustling family of boys. He grew up in the small town of Rogers City where his father worked as a laborer while his mother remained at home as a homemaker. Leon's family was very close knit and shared much over the years. The Depression years created hardship for all, but his family drew close and made ends meet. Even still, he enjoyed many boyhood adventures and attended the local schools before graduating from Rogers City High School.

As the U.S. was deep in the throes of World War II, Leon, or "Chief", the nickname he picked up along life's way, entered the U.S. Navy until the war's end. With the exception of his service time, he remained a lifelong resident of the place he loved and called home.

In time Chief came to know the meaning of deep rooted love when he met and married a beautiful young woman named Joyce Catherine Weinkauf. They shared vows of marriage on July 17, 1948 at St. Paul Lutheran Church and went on to spend 44 wonderful years together by each other's side. You'd rarely see one without the other as they shared many of the same interests. Faith was evident in their home as they raised their family of four children. Over time they were blessed with the birth of their daughter, Judy, and three fine sons, Leon Jr., Paul and David. A loving and most forgiving father, he taught his children well. He himself was an honest man, and taught them the value of hard work, integrity and making their own way in life.

Chief supported his thriving family with his work at the Besser Company. They worshipped together as members of St. Paul Lutheran Church, and he also held membership at the local American Legion in Alpena and the Servicemen’s Club in Rogers City. Among the many things he and Joyce shared was a love for dancing. Although he took pride in his cars, dabbled in golf, and loved watching the Detroit Tigers play, he truly relished spending time at their hunting camp “shooting deer” with his camera.

An avid lover of nature and animals in general, Chief would have been hard pressed to kill an animal. It seemed throughout his life he always had a faithful canine companion

by his side, and whether it was Tippy, Boots or Buffy, they were each spoiled by Chief, but they each clearly knew who was boss.

After 37 years with Besser, Chief eventually retired which gave him more time to enjoy his family and the things he loved. He and Joyce enjoyed taking in the many festivals around the state, and of course, Chief was adamant about his Lotto tickets and daily scratch offs. They also loved going to the casinos. Along with dancing, Chief always had a song in his heart for singing and could whistle a good tune now and then. However, when Joyce took ill and passed away on October 17, 1992, a part of him went with her.

As difficult as it was without her, Chief carried on and placed his focus on family. Nothing brought him greater joy than his grandchildren. He shared a special bond with his great-grandaughter Lilly, relishing his babysitting hours. He was always the first to help anyone in need, and was a great respecter of people, no matter their circumstances in life. His whole life through he exhibited a love for life unmatched, and leaves many memories that those who knew and loved him can hold close in the days to come.

Leon “Chief” Lozen, of Alpena, died Saturday, November 5, 2011 at the age of 84 at St. Mary’s Hospital in Saginaw. He is survived by his daughter, Judy (Michael) Chakmanoff of Tampa, Florida; three sons: Leon Jr. (Christine), Paul (Diane), both of Alpena, David (Amanda) of Kentucky; 13 wonderful grandchildren: Buddy, Robert, Catherine, Shawna, David Jr., John, Danielle, Mike, Shaun, Jennifer, Kevin, Alex, Emily; numerous great-grandchildren; his twin sister; Lois (Howard) Luebke of Rogers City; and his favorite dancing partner, Helen. Along with his wife, Chief was preceded in death by his brothers: Lawrence, Harold, Melvin, Donald and Ivan.

Services for Chief Lozen will be held at the McWilliams Funeral Home–Alpena where friends will gather Tuesday November 8, 2011 from 3:00 PM until the time of the funeral service at 5:00 PM with Rev. Tom Orth officiating. Military honors will be provided by VFW Post #2496. Interment at Evergreen Cemetery. In lieu of flowers, memorial donations may be made to the Huron Humane Society. Please visit Chief’s personal web page at www.lifestorynet.com where you may share a favorite memory with his family, submit a photo and sign his online guest book.