Elmer George Leistikow, builder, scoutmaster, family man, friend, and leader by example was born May 14, 1916 to Herman and Frieda Leistikow in rural Bremer County, Iowa. He died peacefully October 5, 2008 with family near Fort Collins, Colorado, from probable West Nile Virus complications. He is survived by sons and daughters-in-law: Elmer of Fairbanks, AK; Donald of College, AK; Wayne and Janice of Fort Collins; CO, Bruce and Frances of Davis, CA; and Dean and Kathleen of Scotch Plains, NJ; brothers Emil and Mervin; and eight grandchildren. He was preceded in death by his beloved wife of 53 years Virginia, daughter Elizabeth, two brothers, a sister, and his parents.

Elmer was a man of hard work, skill, care, good humor, and simple pleasures. Despite several cleft palate operations and lifelong speech, eating, and elbow impairments, he enthusiastically built towards a better world.

Elmer was quietly proud of his construction coworkers, scouts, friends, buildings, music and harmonicas, diverse pets, photography, gardens, devoted family, and other good works. He led construction workers building Iowa, Alaska, and Gulf Coast apartment complexes, schools, churches, and several John Deere Waterloo and other government/commercial buildings. Elmer enjoyed many workers he hired, often trained, and counted as friends. Elmer cited "never losing a worker" as his proudest accomplishment in fifty years of often risky building projects primarily for Cardinal and John G. Miller construction companies.

In his 30 years as scoutmaster of Kingsley School's Troop 17, Elmer motivated hundreds of boys and men. He maintained friendships with many Boy Scouts whom he had encouraged to awards, National Jamborees, Canada, hiking, canoeing, and personal growth. He led volunteers in building the main lodge at Boy Scout Camp Ingawannis and in Jamboree backstage craftwork.

Elmer was Waterloo Father of the Year in 1965 and a Boy Scout Silver Beaver Award recipient. A farm boy with an eighth grade education, Elmer and his wife inspired his children to eight grandchildren, four doctorate degrees, two professorships, one Super Bowl health commercial, farming and rafting, Peace Corp service, recycling, and other activities. Elmer saw potentials in people, hard work, nature, and each of his 33,758 new days. With them he worked to build a better world.

In lieu of flowers, memorials are encouraged to Scouts, Smile Train (a cleft palate charity), MADD, Cedar Valley Trails Partnership, or Hartman Reserve.

Links to an obituary, condolences, and updated arrangements page are at www.lockefuneralhome.com. Visitation is at 4-7:00 PM, Friday, 10/24/08 at Locke Funeral Home, 1519 W 4th St, Waterloo, IA 50702, with funeral service at 10:00 AM, Saturday, 10/25/08 at First United Methodist Church, 614 Randolph St, Waterloo, IA 50702, with burial in Memorial Park Cemetery, then a reception back at the church.