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Leona E. Harris
LEONA E. HARRIS
Belle Plaine
Leona E. Harris, 89, of Belle Plaine, Iowa, passed away Tuesday, March 12, 2019, at Belle Plaine Specialty Care.
Services are 10:30 a.m. Saturday, March 16, at St. Michael's Catholic Church, Belle Plaine with Deacon Joe Behounek officiating. Burial will take place at Oak Hill Cemetery, Belle Plaine.
Visitation is 4 to 7 p.m. Friday, March 15, at Hrabak-Neuhaus Funeral Service, Belle Plaine with vigil wake service at 6:30 p.m.
Memorials may be directed to the family.
Online condolences can be sent to the family at www.hrabakfuneralhome.com
Leona was born Jan. 17, 1930, to Carl and Margaret (Burr) Berns in Garnavillo, Iowa. Following school, Leona helped her family on the farm. On Dec. 27, 1950, she married Cletus Friedman. To this union, 10 children were born. In 1961, the couple moved to Irving, Iowa. They later divorced. Leona worked various jobs in the restaurant business before retiring from Amana Refrigeration in 1997 at the age of 57. On May 2, 1981, Leona married James Harris and shortly after, they moved to Belle Plaine.
Leona enjoyed quilting, sewing, flowers, playing cards (pepper, euchre and hand and foot), baking (cinnamon bread and kolaches being her specialty), and being active in the church. She was a member of the American Legion Auxiliary, St. Michael's Church, Sew & Sew Quilt Club and Athena.
She is survived by her sons, Robert Friedman of Austin, Texas, and David (Sheryl) Friedman of Blakesburg; grandchildren, Joshua and April, Daniel (Monica) Friedman of Belle Plaine; grandchildren, Amber, Alisha and Matthew, Gary (Joellen) Friedman of DeWitt; grandchildren, Jessica, Amanda and Luke, Dennis (Vicki) Friedman of Jefferson; grandchildren, Ryan and Jason; daughters, Judy (Terry) VanTomme of Brooklyn; grandchildren, Chad and Terra, Sandy (Jim) Scott of Fayetteville, Ga.; grandchildren, Morgan and Adam, Margaret (Darrel) Johnson of Marengo; grandchildren, Megan and Ross, Mary (Mike) DeRycke of Victor; grandchildren, Andrew and Gregory; 24 great-grandchildren; siblings, Willie, Jim and Dennis Berns.
Leona is preceded in death by her parents; husband, James; daughter, Linda Powell; great-grandson, Paul Daniel Smith; siblings, Marie Monnahan, Elmer and Donald Berns and Verna Keppler.
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