Leslie J. Viner

Leslie Jacquelyn Viner (Waas) was born June 12, 1947 in La Crosse, WI. She resided in Dresbach, Minnesota most of her life, and went to her eternal home from there at the age of 78 years old on June 17, 2025.

Leslie was better known as Mom, Grandma, and Great-Grandma to a large, loving, and diverse family. Her house in Dresbach was affectionately known as Grandma‘s, or Grandma’s Woods and originally belonged to her parents before her. The house was relocated to its current position when the property it formerly sat on was claimed under eminent domain by the highway department for the construction of interstate 90.

She was preceded in death by her husband Harold, her adoptive son Paul, her parents, Leslie Woodford (Woody) Waas and Ruth Elizabeth Waas (Boone) and her brothers Dale Waas, and Bradley Waas. She is survived by her daughter Dawn and son-in law Michael, her son Wade and daughter-in-law Anna, as well as her grandchildren: Sean and his wife Shanna, Amanda and her husband Dean, Malakye, Jackie, Parker, Vander, and Georgi, a plethora of great-grandchildren, and many cousins and extended family.

Leslie was a graduate of Logan High School and worked in a wide variety of positions over the years. She was a sales associate at Doerflingers department store in La Crosse. She worked a number of years as the treasurer of Dresbach township, as well as working elections within the township. She was an accomplished seamstress and was co-owner/operator of Pins and Needles sewing shop in Winona, Mn. Following that, she worked as an independent contractor sewing high end custom upholstery, cushions, curtains, and other miscellaneous items for numerous yacht manufacturers and custom clients. In her semi-retirement years, she worked as a salesclerk at Michael’s Arts and Crafts, (and greatly enjoyed the discounts for her own personal arts and crafts.)

Leslie enjoyed volunteering at the Minnesota Maritime Museum in Winona and especially enjoyed spending time with the little ones there on Toddler Tuesdays. She volunteered/worked as an usher at various concerts, and she greatly enjoyed a wide variety of music. She frequently donated knitted mittens, hats and scarves to needy people through various organizations. Many of her craft creations went towards keeping homeless people, college students, and other needy persons warm during the cold winter months.

Outside of her employment, and volunteering, Leslie enjoyed travel. When her grown children were young, she went on numerous family vacations to all sorts of unique places. Back in their younger years, she traveled internationally with her husband Harold. Later in life, she traveled to visit family, as time and health permitted. Her travels included multiple traverses of the Alcan Highway to visit Alaska, a vacation in Mexico and trips to visit family in Colorado, Florida and many places in between. However, her favorite place always remained her home in the woods overlooking the Mississippi River.

The family will be having a celebration of her life at a time yet to be determined this fall.