Meet My Featured Friend – Kolette Leonhardt

Can I ask you a personal question? Not usually the sentence after” Hello, my name is…”
This was the start to a rare & wonderful lifetime relationship with my dear friend Kolette.
Kolette & her husband Roger with their two sons Bruce & Brian had just moved into the house next door to our first house. So, in response to her question I answered with an unsure yes…. She wanted to know if I was having an affair- I was laughing so hard when I answered no & was dying to know why she asked that. She said she see’s this handsome man in a suit leave in the morning, and then see’s a bald guy in zuba’s mowing the lawn at night….Oh my! I told her that Craig wore a hairpiece! That was the best first meeting I have EVER had my whole life!
Kolette worked with me in my custom picture framing shop in my basement for years – even after we built our first house on the other side of town. I loved my time with her!

Kolette had an opportunity to take a job with the local school as a teacher’s aide. She works with EBD (emotional behavior disorder) kids from 2nd-8th grade. She does whatever it takes to help them with homework, learning, to social skills. They are soooo lucky to have her!
Her oldest Son Bruce recently graduated from the University of Minnesota with a degree in Material Sciences. Her Son Brian is graduating this December with a degree in business admin/marketing and is currently being recruited by many NFL leagues. Roger & Kolette are enjoying land they bought recently for their retirement.
We’ve been friends for 23 years now and I have learned a lot from my dear friend Kolette. Grab life and live it with exuberance- You see it in her smile, you hear it in her voice. She taught me how to organize. She was so mean regarding this but trust me I learned a lot and there are days I wish she was over my shoulder helping me out!
All of my love to you Kolette- you are one of life’s greatest gifts <3