Leonard Benedict Huebner

Leonard Benedict Huebner was born in Kenosha, Wis., on June 1, 1951, and died, surrounded by people who loved him, at home in Madison on July 18, 2026. This was following a difficult, 17 month battle with salivary duct cancer. It is a rare, unpredictable, powerful disease, befitting a rare, unpredictable, powerful man.

Leonard was always exceptional, eccentric, intense.

His mind was curious and astute. His knowledge was vast and diverse. (He had PHD in bugs, for crying out loud!)

He loved the outdoors. In his free time he was a hunter and fisher and gun collector, and professionally he worked as an entomologist – not just living in the natural world, but studying it.

Known as Lenny by many in his family, his soul was so generous, full of music and art and people, but he was also haunted by his time as an infantry combat Sargent in the jungles of Vietnam from 1970-1972. This led him to be a founding member of Veterans for Peace.

He was a proud Lithuanian and world traveler and even when traveling alone he formed genuine, enduring friendships wherever he went.

He was incredibly kind, gentle, fearless, meticulous, joyful, and full of shenanigans – traits he continued to display even as he battled this difficult illness these last few months.

He will be greatly missed and always remembered as a truly remarkable human being.

He was able to stay in his home towards the end of his life thanks to the support of the Madison VA and Brighton Hospice and his niece, Melissa, who moved into his home and cared for him in the last 25 days, along with support from her husband, Jeff, so many friends and the relentless love from his sweet Chihuahua, Coco Bean.

He was preceded in death by his parents, Warren and Antania Huebner. He is survived by his brother, Charlie Huebner, his niece Melissa Osowski (nee Huebner) and his nieces, Emily Osowski and Lexi Osowski and nephew, Drew Osowski.