Date of death: 5/10/2016
Saint Meinrad Class: O 1955
A resident of Reno, NV since 1968, Leo T. Hettich passed to another life on May 10, 2016. He was 86 years old and in poor health since 2011. He has willed his remains to the Anatomical Donation Program of the School of Medicine at UNR.In the late 1960Æs Leo began work for the Nevada State Employment Security Dept. as an employment counselor in Fallon and Ely. He became an office manager in Winnemucca (1973) and in two Reno offices (Taylor St. in 1975 and Stardust St. in 1980.) He resigned in 1982 for health reasons.He later joined the Washoe County ClerkÆs Office as a Deputy Commissioner of Civil Marriages. In that position for a period of 16 years, Leo performed 26,000 civil marriage ceremonies for couples from all 50 States and 48 countries. He retired from County and State service in March 1998.Before coming to Nevada, Leo had lived as a Benedictine monk (20 years) and an active Catholic priest (15) in two monasteries (Indiana and South Dakota.) In addition he was an educator at the high school, college and graduate levels. In 1970 he requested and one year later received a legal church separation from the monk-priest life. He came to Nevada where he had family.His wife Jane survives him in Reno and his son Thomas lives in Florida. An older nun-sister Mary lives in Milwaukee, WI and a younger brother, Paul in Antioch, IL. Preceded in death are his parents Cyril & Cecelia (Reno); Fr. Blaise, OSB (St. Meinrad, IN); Mark (Dousman, WI); Dr. David Wm. Hettich (UNR English professor 1961-1993, Reno); and Kevin (Carson City.)