Obituaries

Our family sadly announces the passing of our dearly beloved Leo Palau who died peacefully on August 3rd, 2019 in the home he shared with his wife in Maple Glen, PA. Born on March 2nd, 1930, he was 89 years old.

As a young man, Leo emigrated from Germany to the United States at the age of twenty-four after completing his apprenticeship as a tool & die maker. Shortly after arriving in the United States, he met the love of his life, Waltraud (Traudy) Mechthild von Lojewski at the German Bavarian Club in Philadelphia. Following their courtship, they were married in 1955.

Leo and Waltraud had their first son, Gerald (Gerry), in 1956, followed thereafter by their second son, Bernd (Bernie) in 1959. Through the 1960s and early 1970s, Leo was a proud father while he worked to support the family as a tool & die maker -- progressing to increasing levels of supervisory responsibility at Laneco Engineering Company in Fort Washington, PA. In 1972, Leo went into business with partner, Kurt Hecht, to form H&P Tool and Machine Company in Feasterville, PA. Together Leo and Kurt built a very successful tooling and machining enterprise with over fifty employees in three separate building locations.

After selling his interest in H&P Tool & Machine Company in the 1990s, Leo entered the real estate business and became a successful investor and property manager. He continued to work very actively in his real estate ventures until his final days.

Leo is survived by his wife of sixty-four years, Waltraud M. Palau of Maple Glen, PA, son Gerald L Palau (and wife Angela, and granddaughters Alexis and Kira) of Oak Ridge, TN, his son Bernd (and wife Lisbeth and grandson Wyatt and granddaughter Kayla) of Doylestown, PA. He is also survived by his sister Herta Ziegler of Ernsbach, Germany.

Preceeding Leo in death are his parents Peter and Emma Palau, and siblings Ewald Palau, Emil Palau, Leonhardt Palau, Olga Herter, and Linda Schorr, all of Germany, as well as by siblings Maria Benke and Siegmund Palau who lived in the United States.

As Leo desired, there will not be a conventional funeral service; his wish was that people remember him as he was alive. A celebration of his life will be held at a later date. It is requested that no flowers or other commemorations be sent to the family. Those that are moved to memorialize Leo’s life are requested to give generously to the American Cancer Society in his memory.

The family also wishes to express deep and heartfelt gratitude to the doctors, nurses, and other staff of Doylestown Hospital who provided loving and professional care to Leo over the past month. Their compassion and service to Leo’s care and comfort will forever be appreciate by his family.

We are also thankful and grateful for all for the expressions of kindness, as well as thoughts of sympathy and support shared with the family by Leo’s many friends and associates. These thoughtful gestures have provided the family with much comfort at this time.

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