Leo was born to his parents Anton and Catherine (Hahn) Ollendick. He was the second youngest of seven siblings. He grew up in the Granville, IA area until his early high school years, when the family moved to California. Leo’s senior year the family ended up back to the Midwest and finally settling in Worthington, MN. He graduated from Worthington High School and worked briefly at Campbell’s Soup. Then it was off to serve in the Army during the Korean War.