Lifelong McIntosh resident Lloyd Schleicher will turn 100 years old

Written by Carole (Schleicher) Ekstrom, Lloyd's oldest daughter

Lloyd Schleicher, aka my Dad, was born July 15, 1920 on the Schleicher farm in Lessor township.  

His parents were Arthur and Elsie Schleicher, and he had two brothers, an older one named Roy, and a younger one, Gordon.  He was baptized and confirmed at Immanuel Lutheran Church, and has been an active member of that church his whole life.  

He has been a Sunday School Teacher, a member of the male and mixed choirs, a church council member, church president for several years, an usher and an elder.

Dad attended grade school in District 189 in Lessor township and graduated from ’Mac Hi’ high school in 1938.  When he and his brothers were young teenagers, they had to take over the farm duties when their dad died at age 43.

He married Gladys Simonson on July 10, 1943.  The story goes that she wanted to wait to get married on his birthday, but he didn’t want to wait the extra 5 days.  Over the next 14 years, they became the parents of four daughters, Carole, Paulette, Angela and Randi. 

They had no sons, so we girls were taught to plow the fields, bale the hay, feed the chickens, wash the milking machines, etc.  But we were not allowed to milk the cows, as Dad said that was not women’s work.  I also never got the horse I longed for, because he said if he had room for a horse, he would get another cow.

Besides being a dairy and small grain farmer, Dad was also active in many community organizations.  He served as president of the creamery board, president of the Mac Co-op board, 4-H leader, member and treasurer of Polk County NFO, member of Lessor 189 schoolboard, and vice president of the original McIntosh Housing Board.  

He is also blessed to have the titles of  “Grandpa” and “Great-Grandpa”.

He had the top dairy herd in 1945 in East Polk County Testing Association.  

In 1958, he and Mom were recipients of the Red River Valley Dairyman’s award.  After he sold the cattle in 1975, Dad was on the staff of NFO as Dairy Field Man, and later, Coordinator for Beef Cattle.   In 1972 and ‘73, my parents housed the first AFS student in McIntosh, Lorna Ferrer from the Philippines.  Four years ago, he attended the Polk County Fair where he accepted recognition of the Schleicher farm as a Century Farm.   The house on the farm is the very one in which he was born. 

Dad has enjoyed a variety of hobbies and travels over the years.  He has enjoyed snowmobiling, fishing, bowling, golfing, dancing, and playing his father’s violin.  He and Mom traveled to Germany and Norway, did a 7-week tour of Alaska in their motor home, and spent 21 winters in the Arizona sunshine.  They also entertained at many gatherings over the years, playing fiddle and keyboard.

In 2016, Dad moved into an apartment at Poplar Meadows Senior Living.  He has enjoyed socializing with other residents, and has especially enjoyed his time playing Pinochle with friends from the residence and the community.  He is looking forward to doing that again soon, after his 100th birthday.