LeRoy (Lee) Fahrney passed away on March 25, 2024 due to complications from pulmonary fibrosis. He was born April 6, 1945, the youngest son of John and Luella (Lynch) Fahrney of the Town of York, Green County, Wisconsin. He later moved with his family to the Town of Moscow, Iowa County, where he attended the Plainview one room school. He graduated from Hollandale High School as senior class president while earning first team all-conference honors in football and basketball. Later, he was inducted into the HHS Sports Hall of Fame. On July 3, 1965, he was united in marriage to the former Marilyn Gruenenfelder at Immaculate Conception Catholic Church in Blanchardville, Wisconsin. She joined him during his 23-year career in the U.S. Air Force. He and Marilyn enjoyed 58 years together raising three successful sons, Brian, Jason and Darin, the credit for which he bestowed on his loyal Air Force wife. He attended the Defense Language Institute at the Presidio of Monterey, California, studying Bulgarian and later German, and served in Italy and at the National Security Agency, Fort Meade, Maryland. While there he earned a Bachelor of Science degree from the University of Maryland and later a master’s degree from Webster University, St. Louis. He was commissioned a 2nd Lieutenant after completing Officer Training School as an honor graduate, retiring at the rank of Major. He enjoyed various assignments, including in Texas, Kansas, California, Maryland, Arkansas and the UW-Madison Air Force ROTC detachment as Commandant of Cadets and Assistant Professor of Aerospace Studies. Lee completed his career as Operations Officer with Air Force Recruiting, Milwaukee.
After retiring from the Air Force, he served as a high school guidance counselor in Beaver Dam and Barneveld. During this time, he was elected President of the Wisconsin School Counselor Association and to the Board of Directors of the Wisconsin Education Association Council. He also worked as an adjunct lecturer with the UW-Platteville Counselor Education Department. Other public service included the Fitchburg Common Council and the Dane County Board of Supervisors. The most gratifying period of his life, however, began with his return to rural life on 160 acres of land that he and Marilyn purchased in Iowa County a few miles from the farm where he grew up. It was there that he achieved a near perfect life balance, pursuing various conservation practices, engaging in public service activities, and enjoying the outdoors with Major, his yellow lab companion. In later years he enjoyed writing about the outdoors, publishing hundreds of articles, first for the Monroe Times and later for Wisconsin Outdoor News. His favorites were telling the stories of other sportsmen and women. He was elected to the Wisconsin Conservation Congress as a delegate from Iowa County and later elected by his peers to the District Leadership Council and the state-level Executive Committee where he served as Secretary and Historian. In 2009 he was honored with the “Heavy Lifter” award as the delegate contributing the most to the WCC during the previous year. He was actively involved with the Catholic Church at various locations, last with St. Patrick Parish in Hollandale serving on the parish council and as a lay reader at Mass. Lee also stayed active with his veteran comrades at American Legion Post 142 in Blanchardville, including many years as Commander. He enjoyed time spent in the Bunk House with friends and family during the deer hunting season and attending his children’s and grandchildren’s activities whenever possible. He and Marilyn enjoyed traveling to all 50 states and several countries in Central America, Europe, and Asia, as well as a few winters at Navarre Beach, Florida. But most of all, they enjoyed growing old together at their beloved Five Oaks and in Monroe at Twining Valley.
Lee is survived by his wife, his three sons, highly respected daughters-in-law, Mary Beth, Jenny and Sara and much cherished grandchildren, Nick, Megan, Luke, Markus, Anna, Pearl and MacKenzie. He lived with great devotion to God, country, community, and family, and with a deep sense of gratitude to all who supported him along the way. Lee will be remembered as an officer and a gentleman.
A visitation for Lee will be held on Wednesday, March 27, 2024 from 11:00 am until 3:00 pm at the Immaculate Conception Catholic Church in Blanchardville. A Mass of Christian Burial will be held at 3:00 PM. Burial will follow at the Calvary Cemetery in Blanchardville. A catered funeral lunch will be held at Blanchard Hall at 204 South Main Street in Blanchardville after burial. Saether Funeral Service of Blanchardville is assisting the family. Online memories and condolences can be shared with the family at www.saetherfuneralservice.com.
