Leo Bischoff, 59

Leo  David Bischoff,  age 59, White Pigeon, Mottville Twp.passed away Friday, June 19th, 2009 at the Elkhart General Hospital  in Elkhart, IN.  He was born in Ottawa Lake, MI on May 3, 1950,  a son of  Lyle James and Joseanna (Cox) Bischoff. Leo graduated from Whiteford HS in 1968, and graduated in 1972 from Ferris State University where he also played football.
On November 24, 1979 he married  Joella “JoDea”  Eidenier. Leo worked as a High School  Auto Mechanics teacher, first at Saginaw Buena Vista High School, then for 22 years at Niles Community Schools. He later taught at the Branch Area Career Center for 10 years, from which he retired in August 2008.
Leo had been affectionately known as the “Bishop” and the “Talented Mr. Bischoff”. He enjoyed pulling horses and logging. Leo belonged to many horse pulling societies, Monroe Ponypulling Assoc., Michigan Pony Dynamometer Assoc., Tri-State Ponypullers, Bits & Harness, Lakeshore Ponypulling Assoc., Central Ohio Ponypullers, Iowa Horsepulling Assoc., Wisconsin Ponypulling Assoc., Great Lakes Pulling Assoc., Michigan Horse Dynamometer Assoc., Michigan Horsepulling Assoc., Michigan Horsepulling Boat Assoc., and the Buckeye Horsepulling Assoc.
Surviving Leo are his parents, wife Joella “JoDea” Bischoff, sons Dacon Lyle Bischoff and Dalton Lee Bischoff, all of White Pigeon, sisters JoAnn (Jerry) Long, Suzanne (Dan) Keller, and Juanita (Louis) Strahan, all of Ottawa Lake, MI, brother James (Donna) Bischoff of Houghton Lake, MI, mother-in-law Inella Eidenier, and several nieces and nephews. He was preceded in death by a nephew Tom Long. 
Relatives and friends will be received at the Eley Funeral Home in Constantine on Monday  from 5-8 PM and Tuesday Noon – 2 PM, where Religious Services will follow Tuesday at 2:00 p.m. with Deacon Larry Kasuboski officiating. Graveside Services will be held Wednesday at 11:00 a.m. at the Waldron Cemetery in Waldron, MI. In lieu of flowers, the family requests Memorial Contributions be made to B.A.C.C. Skills USA Leo Bischoff Memorial Fund or American Cancer Society – MI Chapter, c/o Eley Funeral Homes, P.O. Box 27, Constantine, MI 49042. Online messages may be left for the family at www.eleyfuneralhomes.com.