Helen (Tollefson) Leonard

Helen (Tollefson) Leonard, 98, passed away Saturday, November 7, 2015 in her home in Logan, Iowa. Helen was born on the family farm, four miles east of Dunlap, on January 12, 1917, to Einer and Clara Tollefson. Helen attended Bennett Country School in Loveland for five years, and then Sunny Slope in Magnolia Township through the eighth grade. She graduated from Woodbine High School under the Normal Training Course curriculum and taught country school for five years, two at her home school Sunny Slope, and three at Fairview in Magnolia Township. Helen passed her Civil Service Examinations and received an appointment to work for the Navy Department in Washington, D.C. during World War II. Following the war, Helen returned to Iowa and married Edward Leonard whom she first came to know at neighborhood dances and rural school box suppers. Ed and Helen moved to Detroit, Michigan, for four years, where Helen worked under Civil Service as a typing supervisor and Edward worked for U.S. Rubber—and saved their salaries to buy a farm in Harrison County. Instead of a farm, they bought a small house on Elm Street in Logan, and began “Ed’s Candies and Nuts.” Edward worked the route each day while Helen assisted with the packaging and bookkeeping. The house proved too small for three daughters and a business so they later built the family home on an empty lot just up the hill from the old school house. About the same time, they purchased the farm Edward always dreamed of owning. Helen loved games of all kinds. She was a member of the bowling league in Missouri Valley, and several neighborhood card groups. She spent summers in the family cabin in Minnesota, and tented in the backwoods of Canada, fishing for walleyes with her family. Helen learned to square dance from her father who was a caller, and could do-si-do, waltz, and Charleston. She loved to garden and canned much of the food her family ate during the winters. Helen loved children, taught Sunday School at the Christian Church, was a Girl Scout Leader, and headed the Women’s VFW Auxiliary. Helen was preceded in death by her parents Einer and Clara Tollefson, her husband of 56 years, Edward Leonard, and an older brother, Arthur Tollefson, who died at the age of nine. She is survived by her three daughters, Karen (Gene) Dodd of Green Valley, Arizona, Jean (Doug) Leonard-Kreykes of Windsor, Colorado, and Charlene (Paul) Beveridge of Prescott, Arizona, five grandchildren and one great granddaughter. Visitation with the family will be held from 6:00 p.m. until 8:00 p.m. Friday at the Logan Memorial Chapel. The family would like to invite everyone to a time of lunch and fellowship at the church following the committal service. In Loving Memory of HELEN TOLLEFSON LEONARD Born: January 12, 1917 Dunlap, Iowa Entered into Rest: November 7, 2015 Logan, Iowa Services: Saturday, November 14, 2015 Christian Church, Logan, Iowa Prelude: Vicki Koenig Opening Hymn: “Count Your Blessings” Scripture Reading: Rusty Hedger Ecclesiastes 3: 1-8 Vocal Selection: “On Eagles’ Wings” Amy Kreykes Scripture Reading: Rusty Hedger Psalm 23 Obituary: Rusty Hedger Eulogy: Karen Leonard Dodd Hymn: “He Leadeth Me” Sermon: Connie McWilliams Invitation: Jean Leonard Kreykes Recessional: “Always” Casket Bearers: Jackey Arrick Don Fitzwater Amy Kreykes Bryan Kreykes Carole Liljidahl Charley Wisecup Honorary Casket Bearer: Todd Kreykes Final Resting Place Greenwood Cemetery – Logan, Iowa

Sign Guestbook

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *