Leonard "Len" Vingers

Leonard "Len" Vingers, 87, of Viroqua, WI, passed away peacefully at home after a short illness on September 9, 2021. He was born September 5, 1934, to Leonard and Juanita (Staniford) Vingers. He was a 1952 Central High School graduate and married his high school sweetheart, Donna Johnson, on September 25, 1954.

Len was involved in many sports, but baseball was his passion.  In 1954, he signed a minor league baseball contract with the St. Louis Cardinals and played 65 games with Albany, GA and 63 games with Johnson City, TN.  He played fast and slow pitch baseball on many teams in La Crosse.  He organized 12” slow pitch leagues at Trane Company and the La Crosse Industrial League. For 30 years, he was a high school and college football, basketball and baseball official and founding member and past president of the Coulee Region Officials Association.  He coached his grandson’s basketball and baseball teams at the La Crosse Boys and Girls Club.

He worked 18 years at Trane Company and 23 years at Gundersen Clinic. He was Human Resource Manager and Salary Administrator at both companies.  He was dedicated and loyal to both employers and truly cared and respected all employees. He made a point to know every employee’s name and something special about each one and he managed by the “Golden Rule.”

Len enjoyed life, family and friends and he was a loving and caring husband, dad, and grandpa. Len is survived by his wife, Donna; two daughters, Cinda (Sig Molland) Vingers of Viroqua and Tamra (Jon) Keller of Temecula, CA ; grandchildren: Travis Keller, Shelly (Patrik) Beck, Shawn (Mike Mercier) Wery, Cory Molland, Kara Molland,; great grandchildren: Cole Molland, Niko, and Caden Skog; brother-in-law, Clifford, “Tippy” (Sharon) Johnson of La Crosse; many nieces and nephews.

He was proceeded in death by his parents and in-laws, Spencer and Gladys Johnson.

The family would like to extend special thanks to Dr. Rachel Bassett, the Gundersen Hospice Services, and Roth Family Cremation Center for their special care. 

A private family service will be held at a later date.  Memorials can be given to Gundersen Hospice Services and Gundersen Cardiology.

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