Colleen Leer

Colleen Marie “Lena” Leer, 67, of Faulkton, passed away Friday, June 16, 2023, at Faulkton Area Medical Center. 

Funeral Mass will be held at 11:00 a.m., Thursday, June 22, 2023, at St. Liborius Catholic Church, Polo, with Father Paul Josten presiding. Burial will be 1:00 p.m. MDT, Friday, July 21, 2023, at Black Hills National Cemetery, Sturgis. 

Colleen M. Schaefers was born August 11, 1955, to Jack and JoAnn (O’Meara) Schaefers in Faulkton, SD, the oldest of 10 children. She grew up in Polo, SD and spent a lot of her time helping her mom raise her siblings. On June 10, 1966, Colleen had open heart surgery at the University Minneapolis Heart Hospital. She attended high school in Polo, graduating in 1973. Following graduating, Colleen attended Mount Marty College in Yankton, SD, graduating with her B.A. degree in 1977. 

Colleen was selected for Marine Corps Officer Candidate School in Quantico, VA, and graduated in June 1978 as a Second Lieutenant. She attended Aircraft Maintenance Officer School in Millington, TN where she met her soon-to-be husband Cory “Dutch” Leer. After completing school, she was ordered to go to the Marine Corps Air Station (MCAS) in Tustin, CA, and worked with Cory in the same squadron. Colleen and Cory married on March 8, 1980, with full military honors.

During her 20-year career in the Corps, Colleen went on several deployments to Okinawa, Korea, and Japan. She also moved several times including homes in California, Hawaii, North Carolina, and Florida. In 1990 she was selected to be the 3rd Marine Air Wing Logistics Support Representative on General Schwarzkoff's staff for the planning and activation of Desert Storm and the invasion of Iraq. She was selected to attend the United States Naval War College in Rhode Island and graduated with a Master of Arts in National Security and Strategic Studies in 1994. She retired in 1998 with the rank of Major. No matter what unit she was attached to, the Marines she worked with admired and loved her. She became mom to all of her marines.

After retirement Colleen and Cory moved to Florida where she worked as a military consultant for several years. They enjoyed their own private beach and beautiful weather, except for hurricane season. In 2016 they moved to South Dakota to be closer to family and friends. She joined the Polo CDA and became state military chairman. She was a life member of Marine Corps Aviation Association and the American Legion. She enjoyed fishing, hunting, skiing, watching movies and NASCAR live or on TV. She loved the trips to California to visit the Leer family, playing games with the adults or having fun with their kids.

Colleen is survived by her husband, Cornelius “Cory/Dutch” Leer; mother, JoAnn Schaefers; siblings: Doug (Darla) Schaefers, Camille Dunnick, Dean (Dee) Schaefers, Delmar (De) Schaefers, Carole (Jeff) Stoecker, Doyle (Nubia) Schaefers, and Darwin (Cristi) Schaefers; brothers-in-law: Hans (Caroline) Leer and Stu (Nancy) Leer; sister-in-law: Janice Leer; two aunts; one uncle; ten nephews; eight nieces; and many cousins and friends.

She is preceded in death by her father, Jack (2022); brothers: Darry and Dale (1984); three nephews and one niece; grandparents: Marcella and Clinton O’Meara and John and Louisa Schaefers; and brother-in-law, Henry Leer.

Luce Funeral Home of Faulkton has been entrusted with Colleen’s arrangements.