Leo was born October 6, 1934, near Snyder, Nebraska, to William and Elizabeth (Hunke) Niewohner.

Leo served with the 11th Calvary Division of the U. S. Army from August 1956 to July 1958.

Leo took his basic training at Fort Knox, KY, where he was enrolled in Armour school from late October until late March.  
After basic training Leo was sent to Regensburg Germany with the 3rd Battalion of the 11th Calvary Headquarters Company and worked in "D" maintenance on the battalion level.  Later he worked in the mail room and helped out at the Company Commanders office.

After being discharged from the Army Leo returned to Snyder and farmed with his father until March of 1959 when he moved to a farmstead near Lyons, Nebraska.

On June 3rd of 1959, Leo married Yvonne Kampschnieder.  To this union 5 children were born, Laura, John, Mark, Beverly, and Becky.  
In 2001 Leo and Yvonne retired and moved to the town of Lyons, Nebraska where he resided until his death on May 15, 2013.