RUTHVEN -- Funeral service for Leone E. Larson will be held Saturday, Nov. 21, at Sacred Heart Catholic Church in Ruthven. Celebrant is the Rev. Bill Schreiber.
Visitation is prior to the service Saturday from 9:30 to 10:30 a.m. at the church. The Martin-Mattice Funeral Home in Ruthven is in charge or arrangements.
Leone Ellen Monk was born June 27, 1925 to James and Nellie (Kiley) Monk. She grew up on a farm near Elk Lake and walked or rode horses to the Welcome Country School across the section, in Freeman Township. She finished her education at the Ruthven Consolidated School, graduating in 1942. She was recently honored as one of the oldest living Iowa girls 6-on-6 basketball players. Leone remained close lifetime friends with several of her girlfriends from school.
Leone married Eldon (Bud) Larson on Jan. 25, 1948; they were married 64 years. The couple made their home at Bud's family farm three miles east of Gillett Grove. The Larson's raised crops, livestock, milked many cows, and pitched a lot of shit (she asked that we put that in her obituary). To this union three children were born Jane, Robert and Richard.
Leone was a member of the Ruthven Sacred Heart Catholic Church her entire life. Leone frequently wrote letters to her friends and family. She could put more information on one page than most could on 10. Leone loved plants and flowers and enjoyed gardening and having houseplants. Bud and Leone took decades of trips to Blackduck Lake in Minnesota, fishing and hosting friends and family that visited frequently.
Leone was an avid card player and taught her grandchildren to play Euchre and Cribbage. Leone was a good cook and loved family get-togethers. Her family looked forward to enjoying her recipes, especially her apple pie. Leone had a sweet tooth and believed everything tasted better if you added extra sugar. After moving to the Villa in Ruthven she enjoyed daily coffee with "The Girls".
Leone was the life of the party, loved visiting, and you could always expect an unfiltered conversation. She never learned how to whisper, even in church. She was not one to dwell on problems and she never felt sorry for herself. She often said, "You don't have to look far to find someone worse off than you." We will miss her one liners, her smile, her sharp quips of wisdom, and her kisses. Leone shared laughter, her humor, and her generous spirit with many. The treasured memories of Leone will flood our minds and fill our hearts for years to come.
Leone passed away Thursday, Oct. 22, 2020 at the age of 95. She is survived by sons, Robert Larson (Carla) and Richard Larson (Barbara); son-in-law, Gary Downey; nine grandchildren, Travis Downey, Brandie Malm, Jocelyn Wunchel, Darci Moran, Jared Larson, Zachary Larson, Lance Larson, Jessica Claus, and Sheila Larson; and 12 great grandchildren.
Leone was preceded in death by her husband, Eldon; parents, James and Nellie Monk; her beloved daughter, Jane; her sisters, Eva Rosacker, Alice Rosacker and Irene Thielen; and her brother, Wilmar "Bud" Monk.
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