Obituary: Leona Harris
Author: Family of Leona Harris
Leona Grace Harris
Family of Leona Harris
July 24, 1933- November 17, 2023
Leona Harris passed away on November 17, 2023, at 90 years old of natural causes while living with her daughter and son-in-law, Donna Gregus and Mark Terner, in Edgerton, Wisconsin. Leona was born to Lee and Goldibell Fallis on July 24, 1933, and grew up on a farm in Oskaloosa, Iowa. She was the eldest of four sisters and grew up working in the fields, driving a tractor, until the time she left for college.
Leona attended Wheaton College in Illinois for nursing when she met her future husband, Bill Harris, at Oak Park Nazarene Church. She married Bill Harris on August 15, 1953, and they made their home in Glen Ellyn, Illinois. Leona had three children, Darrell (1954), Donna (1955) and Diane (1961). Leona and Bill were foster parents of Suzanne Fulk, who was a welcome addition to the family.
In 1975, Bill and Leona moved to a farm on Confederate Gulch in Townsend, Montana. Leona worked as a bank teller, both in Illinois and at the State Bank of Townsend, from 1969 until 1985 when she provided end-of-life care for her mother and father, Goldibell and Lee Fallis.
Leona loved her church family and was a devoted Christian. She served on the Helena Nazarene Church Board and was the missionary president. She started a quilting ministry group that crafted and provided quilts to the Riverside Correctional Facility, the Nazarene Missions and the Helena Veterans Hospital. The Nazarene ministry’s quilts can be found as far away as Tanzania Africa.
She was active in the Montana Farm Bureau and loved volunteering for the Helena Carroll College nursing program. Leona volunteered at the Helena Senior Center and could often be found after lunch playing a card game called Hand and Foot. She enjoyed sewing, reading, playing Scrabble and puzzles.
Leona is survived by her three children: Darrell Harris, Donna Gregus (Mark Terner), Diane Gray (Michel Valentin) and foster daughter, Suzanne Fulk; five grandchildren, Aimee Estell (Lee Estell), Dawn Harris, Kyle Gray (Kate Bonn), Kelly Gregus (Kyle Simpson), Tristan Gray (Madison McCurdy); four great-grandchildren, Michael Harris (Kristi Harris), Nicholas Fitzsimmons, Daniel Estell, and Annalisa Brown; one great-great-grandchild, Benjamin Harris; her younger two sisters, Mildred Lockard (Keith), and Karen Mortz (Lon); their families.
She is preceded in death by her parents, husband; her sister, and Louise Simmons; and daughter-in-law, Barbara Harris.
A memorial service will be held at 11:00 a.m. MTN on Saturday, December 9, 2023 at the Helena Nazarene Church, 117 Valley Drive, Helena, MT. For those unable to attend a live stream will be available at https://helenanaz.church/watch-live/. In lieu of flowers, we request donations to the Helena Nazarene Church on Leona’s behalf.
The family would like to thank Donna and Mark for their long-term loving care of our Mom and all the Mercy Assisted Care Hospice workers. Please visit https://www.retzfuneralhome.com to offer a condolence to the family or to share a memory of Leona.
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PhotoCredit: Photo Credits: Leona Harris Family
Image 1 Caption: Leona Harris
Photo Credits: Leona Harris Family
