Leontina Mary Savage

Leontina Mary Savage, Ret. Major, ANC, was born on August 1, 1918 to Frank and Mary Savage in Humphrey, NE. Her early years were spent in Platte Center and Columbus. She entered Nursing School at St. Elizabeth Hospital School of Nursing in Lincoln, NE, graduating in October, 1940. In February, 1941 she joined the Army Nurse Corps as a Reserve and entered active duty at Fort Riley, KA. She volunteered for overseas duty right after the attack on Pearl Harbor and went to the South Pacific Theater in May, 1942, joining the 155th. Station Hospital in Brisbane, Australia and Morotai Island in the Netherlands, East Indies before returning Stateside in May 1945 to be immobilized and sent home. She then attended the University of Colorado in Boulder and received a B.S. in Nursing and a Certificate in Pediatric Nursing in 1949. She was recalled to active duty during the Korean War and was sent to Fitzsimmons General Hospital in Denver. While there, she commuted to Boulder to get her Masters degree in Nursing Administration. Her next overseas duty was in Germany and the Army of Occupation for two years. Returning Stateside she was stationed at Brooke Army Hospital in Houston, TX. Four years later she received orders for Korea to serve for a year as Chief Nurse at a Taegue Dispensary. Returning, she was sent to Fort Monroe, VA where she retired as Major. Among awards and decorations, she received two Battle Stars, a Presidential Unit Citation and the Commendation Medal for meritorious service. She is survived by three sisters: Lucille Kontor, Omaha, NE, Geraldine Moss, Denver, CO and Therese Bussard, Nebraska City, NE, and one brother, Kenneth, Austin, TX. She was preceded in death by her parents, three brothers, Francis (Steve), Lester, and Gerald, and one sister, Sr. M. Florita. She was a member of Queen of Peace Catholic Church in Aurora, CO, Chapter 21 of the Disabled American Veterans and the Denver unit of the Women's Overseas League.