Leonard Franklin Fromolz

Leonard Franklin Fromolz 80 of Solon Springs, WI has “gone fishing” on the other side of life. He took his last breath on October 9, 2013 at St. Mary’s Medical Center, Duluth, MN, holding the hand of his best friend Jan Jenson.Leonard was born July 11, 1933 to Ed and Ruth Fromolz on the family farm near Beaver Dam, WI before the family moved to Princeton. After attending high school in Princeton, he served in the Korean War with the U.S. Navy.Len earned an Associate Degree in Police Science from Kenosha Technical Institute in 1972 and dedicated his life to law enforcement. He worked for the Wisconsin Department of Corrections at Waupun, Flambeau, and Walworth before assuming the Superintendent position at the Gordon Correctional Center where he served from 1972 until his retirement in 1988. Upon his retirement, he was presented with a Governor’s Special Award for his 32 years of dedicated service to the State of Wisconsin. He holds the state record for personally apprehending the most prison escapee. Some of those encounters took place in the woods or on the fog-covered rivers in the middle of the night. Len also served as a Special Conservation Warden for the Department of Natural Resources from 1963-1997 and as Constable for the Town of Solon Springs. During his career, he initiated and implemented many programs to protect and assist the people of the communities he served. He frequently donated many hours of his own time.Fishing was his greatest leisure passion. He loved fishing Lake Superior and later, Crow Lake in Nestor Falls, Ontario, Canada where he spent much of his last 20 summers. His 64-inch Muskie hangs on the wall of Black Bear Camp there, his home away from home.Len loved nature, solitude and wildlife. He enjoyed exploring the lakes and woods and had a special bond with wild animals. This included his pet raccoon and Bambi, a blind deer he cared for over 16 years. Wild deer and rabbits followed him around his 120-acre farm near Solon Springs and came running when he called them. Len also loved hunting, Willie Nelson and polka music! He will be greatly missed and fondly remembered by Jan Jenson of Wascott, WI, his special friend of 35 years and her children: Shannon (Will) Graber of The Woodlands, TX; Shane (Sandi) Jenson of Omaha, NE; Sherry Jenson of Omaha, NE; and their 10 children.He is also survived by four biological children: Linda Fromolz of Moses Lake, WA; Charlie (Robyn) Fromolz of Phillips, WI; Mike (DeLores) Fromolz of Kennan, WI; and Donna (Rich) Reineman of Boulder Junction, WI; their children; and a sister, Karen (Bob) Reiser of Ripon, WI; sister-in-law Darlene Fromolz of Waupun, WI.He is preceded in death by his parents, and one brother Raymond Fromolz.A celebration of Len’s life will be held at the Brown Funeral Home in Solon Springs, WI 1:00 p.m., Saturday, October 19th, 2013, with Father James Kinney officiating. Visitation will be held one hour prior to the service. Followed by interment and military honors provided by the Lockman Jensen Post at the Gordon Memorial Cemetery in Gordon, WI.