My Mom ~ Leona Larson

• She was born Leona Ida to Henry & Ida Steinke on April 14, 1930
• She passed from this earth Feb. 26th, 2017
• She had 3 sisters Helen, Dorothy and Marion
• and two brothers Elmer and Ervin
• She loved school and was valedictorian in her class of '49
• A city girl meets farm boy at the roller skating rink in Hatfield, WI
• and they marry on April 29th, 1950
• She's the Mother of six kids ~ Kathy, Ginny, Gary, Linda, Ronnie and Kevin
• She named me after her ~ Linda Leona
• and was blessed with 15 grandkids and 19 great-grandkids
• She had strong Christian values
• and always took us to church and Sunday school
• She knew the value of life-long friends
• She was a supportive, hardworking farmer's wife
• and punctual. She was never late
• She was recycling when recycling wasn't even cool yet
• always picking up cans and bottles on her daily walks
• She made desserts for every meal.
• She had the best laugh
• She modeled "Love Thy Neighbor" by weekly visits with Mrs. Leer, Mrs. Vesta and Mrs. Moe
• She saw the importance of visiting relatives every Sunday
• She loved picking berries of all kinds
• She loved creating freshly-picked floral arrangements for the dining table
• She was a homemaker, in the truest sense of the word.
• She kept a beautiful home and held to a rigid weekly schedule
• She taught us girls that hours of ironing while watching soap operas is much more enjoyable
• She was an amazing cook and loved baking
• She was always home when we got off the bus, with fresh baked bread, homemade donuts, a pan of bars, cookies or pies cooling on the counter
• She loved dancing with her kids to Ernie Reck on the television 
• She never missed a Billy Graham Crusade on the television
• She faithfully attended all our school activities and sporting events
• She was dependable, thoughtful and full of energy
• She loved card parties, snowmobile parties 
• and spending time with their Alma Center friends
• She loved to travel and visit her children
• She had a beautiful voice and loved to sing
• She took great pleasure in harvesting huge gardens
• and saw the value of 4-H for her kids

Mom had a good life and she was ready to go to heaven and be with Jesus... and to be reunited with her husband John, her son Ronnie and grandson Noel.

Mom will be forever remembered, loved and celebrated as her legacy lives on through her kids, grandkids and great-grandkids.

We love and miss you Mom!