Floyd "Buzz" Stanley Leazer

Floyd “Buzz” Stanley Leazer, 90 years old, passed peacefully into heaven, holding the hand of his wife of sixty-one years on July 12, 2021, at 1:43 p.m. at Peace Hospice House in Great Falls, Montana. A selfless husband, loving father, and engaging grandfather and great-grandfather, he is tenderly missed by his surviving family members, his wife, Mary Rose “Rosie” Stevens; children, Charles (Vera) Leazer, Shawna (Dana) Skoog, Stacy Smith, and Shane (Tina) Leazer; grandchildren, Andrea (Dave) Johnson, Arianna Skoog, Karrin Leazer, and Kyrsten Leazer; and 4 great-grandchildren, Roman, Zella, Zoey, and Luka Johnson. He is also survived by two beloved brothers, Harold Leazer and Jerry Leazer. Friends and family all knew Buzz for his positive outlook, his gentle, giving, and undemanding nature, and his humor. In these ways, he touched the lives of his family and the countless friends that his generous heart made into family, creating a large community of people who loved and cherished him. Born on November 9, 1930, in Primrose, Iowa to Owen Guy Leazer and Edith Pearl Barnes Leazer, Buzz was one of 12 siblings. The family spent his childhood and adolescence farming in Batavia, Iowa. He attended and graduated from Batavia High School, where he used his athletic talents to excel as a center in basketball and the baseball team’s catcher. Buzz worked in various professions, but his life-long interest in creating and fabricating culminated in owning and operating Northwest Canvas for over 50 years, closing it and retiring in 2000. However, his expertise and understanding exceeded his specific training; he was a true handy-man and jack-of-all-trades. Buzz could fix just about anything that needed it. He had the gift of service and consistently used these talents to help and bless those around him. His interests also included outdoor activities like hunting, fishing, and camping with family and friends. He loved being an involved father, never missing any of the various activities his children participated in. In his senior years, he particularly loved his yearly fishing excursions to Alaska with his son, Chuck. Special occasions and birthdays were celebrated with him making homemade ice cream, grinding away and cracking jokes until perfection was reached. From Thanksgiving to Christmas, the Leazer kitchen was graced with the aroma of his famous fudge from the recipe that had been passed down to him from his mother. Many will recall munching on it while a guest in his home, and some who couldn’t be present in his home will remember receiving a loving batch sent to them in the mail. Buzz was a man who loved God and his fellow human beings. A member of ECNA church in Great Falls until its closing, he was at times the lay leader, led the singing and worship, and was very involved in men’s ministries. He loved the early morning routine of Wednesday Men’s Prayer Breakfast, never wanting to miss a week of fellowship while his brothers in Christ enjoyed feasting on his pancakes, eggs, and sausage. After the closing of ECNA, he and his wife attended First Alliance Church in Great Falls, where they were also embraced as family. Buzz was preceded in death by 7 brothers; 2 sisters; his first wife, Beverly Major Leazer; children, Danny Joe and Andrea Kay Leazer; and grandsons Michael Lynn and Ryan James Leazer. Though Buzz’s life was marked by various sorrows, he was always implacably positive and unceasingly grateful, seeing his life as a glass overflowing with blessing. He had a heart for those who struggled or endured hardship and never failed to attempt to be a bright spot or lighten the load. The world was a better place because of Buzz Leazer, and his absence is felt by all who loved him. We rejoice that he is beholding the face of his Savior and that we will see him again someday.