J. Kilian "John" Leidiger

J. Kilian (“John”) Leidiger, of Madison, died on June 30, 2010, five weeks after being suddenly diagnosed with acute leukemia. John was born August 15, 1923, to Erich F. and Louise (Kilian) Leidiger near Eau Claire, Wisconsin, their only son and the youngest of three children. He graduated from Fall Creek High School in 1941 as valedictorian. The family moved to Milwaukee in 1942, and John was inducted into the Army in 1943. He served in New Guinea and the Philippines until 1946 with the 174th Ordnance Depot. The group held annual reunions from 1982 to 2008, and John attended all of them, noting, “We win World War II all over again, only it takes fewer of us each year.” John graduated from the University of Wisconsin-Madison in 1949 and immediately began employment with the Wisconsin Department of Taxation as a field auditor. In 1964, he moved from Milwaukee to Madison and served in various administrative positions for the Department of Taxation, which became the Department of Revenue, until his retirement in January 1990. John began donating blood before he entered the service and continued until melanoma surgery in 2001 made him ineligible as a donor. By then he had donated nearly 32 gallons of blood. In 1952, John received his CPA certificate and was active in WICPA until his retirement. He served on several committees, was chairman of the Southern Chapter in 1978-79, and was on the WICPA Educational Foundation Board of Directors for eleven years. He was a member of the Accounting and Management Association for many years and joined the Service Corps of Retired Executives (SCORE) in 1995. John married Shirley Fruhner in 1952. They had a daughter, Lynda, who lives in Iowa City, Iowa. Shirley died in 1975. He married Mary Lou Sheffer in 1976, and they divorced in 1980. John married Mary Widmer in 1982. They celebrated their 28th anniversary on June 12, after spending two weeks in Hawaii in March. John's family and friends will remember his love of Scrabble, crosswords, sudoku, and gin martinis (with a lemon twist and mushrooms). He looked forward to Concerts on the Square every summer, Badger and Packer football season every fall, and he and Mary were year-round regulars at Smoky's. John also looked forward to the neighborhood block parties, held monthly in the cul de sac where he and Mary lived. He tremendously enjoyed his last get-together with the neighbors in June, although he had to roll his oxygen tank to the party. John was predeceased by his parents, his first wife Shirley, his sister Lucille (Anthony) Lollo, his sister Jean (Leon) Vytlacil, his stepson Jay Widmer, and stepgrandson Wyatt Widmer. He is survived by his beloved wife Mary, daughter Lynda, and his cousin Bob Hoehn, who lives in Hawaii and was like a brother to him when they were growing up. He is also survived by stepsons Mark Millar and Michael Widmer, stepdaughters Wendi (Carl) Walter and Jill Wagner, and daughters-in-law Jackie Millar, Karen Heitke, and Darcy Widmer. John has fourteen stepgrandchildren—Saskia Kewley; Derek and Chad Millar; Brandilin Ruff; Monica Sheridan; Dane, Danielle, and Jared Wagner; Amber, Kailin, and Miree Walter; Brittany Widmer; Rylie Widmer; and Mike Widmer, Jr.—as well as ten stepgreat-grandchildren. Those who loved John will deeply miss his sense of humor, his warmth and caring, and his boundless hospitality. A friend who might need a cocktail and some conversation could count on being invited over with John's assurance that “the smoking lamp is lit.” Wherever he is now, we know that the smoking lamp is lit. A celebration of his life will be held at the West Side Club on Saturday, July 24, 2010 from 4 to 7 p.m. He requested no funeral. In lieu of flowers, donations may be made to the American Red Cross or to Hospice Care, Inc., 5935 E. Cheryl Pkwy., Madison 53711.