Leona May McConnell

Leona died peacefully on December 5, 2018. Beloved wife of Roy for 69 years; mother of Dennis L. (Dean) McConnell, Marilyn J. McConnell and John R. (Cathy) McConnell; mother in law of Fred Johnson (Laurie); grandmother of Craig (Barbie) McConnell, Mark (Mari) McConnell, John R. (Emily) McConnell, Stephen (Madelyn) McConnell, Bridget (Mark) McConnell-McCallum, Brenna (David) McConnell-Booher, Brian (Nicole) Johnson, and Kevin Johnson; great-grandmother of Durandy, Rhianna, Emiko, Aiko, Kaito, Grant, Seth, Samuel, Olivia, Caleb, Meera, and Abigail. Sister of Helen McChesney and sister-in-law of Lee Van Pelt. Children Ralph A. McConnell and Janice L. Johnson preceded her in death. She was born near Cambridge, Nebraska on October 2, 1922, the third child of Leonard and Edna Ridpath. The family moved to a farm north of Oberlin, Kansas where she grew up. They endured the dust bowl of the 1930s. After graduating from high school in Oberlin she taught in one-room country schools in Kansas for three years. Both her father and mother died before she was twenty years old. The five sisters were between the ages of twenty-one and eleven. The older sisters managed to keep the family together and the five of them always shared an incredible bond. On July 23, 1942 she married Roy McConnell. He was in the Navy during World War II and spent almost 3 years in the European Theater. The few times that his ship was in port, she made trips to see him. She traveled by train to New York City, New Orleans, Cleveland and Houston. They moved to the Strasburg area in 1961 where all of their children graduated from Strasburg High School. Leona was a homemaker and a very strong advocate of education. She was an excellent cook and hosted large family dinners every Sunday for many years. Her homemade pies were always a hit at school bake sales and potluck dinners. She loved her children, grandchildren and great-grandchildren and enjoyed spending time with them. She had a very generous spirit and often went without to provide for her children. Though she often dealt with adversity in her life, she maintained a positive, gracious attitude. She was a remarkably strong woman who was always kind and grateful. Her easy smile will be greatly missed. For the past 5 years she has lived at Prairie Creeks Residences where she had many wonderful friends and neighbors.

 

Committal Service Friday, January 18, 2019 12:00 noon at Fort Logan National Cemetery; Memorial Service at La Quinta Inn, 7190 W Hampden Ave, Lakewood, CO. immediately following the Committal Service. In lieu of flowers, donations may be sent to Evelyn Schroth/CARES Food Bank, PO Box 913, Strasburg, CO 80136, or the charity of your choice.

Graveside Service: January 18, 2019 12:00 pm - 12:30 pm

Fort Logan National Cemetery
3698 South Sheridan Boulevard
Denver, CO 80236
(303) 761-0117
https://www.cem.va.gov/cems/nchp/ftlogan.asp

Memorial Celebration: January 18, 2019 12:45 pm

La Quinta Inn
7190 West Hampden Ave.,
Lakewood, CO 80227
303-969-9700