In 1945, her dad retired from farming and the family moved to Oldenburg. They lived in a rental house while John Bessler built their new home. While in Oldenburg, Leona attended school and graduated from the Holy Family Girls Academy. She also met and fell in love with the boy-next-door. Donald Kellerman lived in the house next to the one the Bessler family was renting. She and Don dated for several years until they married 16 Sept 1950 at Holy Family Catholic Church in Oldenburg.
Leona always enjoyed styling hair and became a professional beautician for the next 33 years, eventually owning her own business which she operated out of her home. She was an active member of the community of Oldenburg as well as a member of the Ladies Society at Holy Family.
In her free time, Leona enjoyed music (she played the gituar), reading, theatre, movies, travel, entertaining family and friends, gardening, fine dining, her cats, the many species of wild birds she fed as well as a flock of mallard ducks that she and Don cared for that lived on a pond on their property.
She and Don celebrated their 50th wedding anniversary in 2000. Shortly thereafter, she was diagnosed with a brain tumor. She died in 2003 from a seizure resulting from that tumor. She was 74. Her funeral mass was conducted at Holy Family. She is survived by her husband, two of her sisters, many nieces, nephews, several cousins as well as grand and great-grand nieces and nephews. The couple had no children.
In 1945, her dad retired from farming and the family moved to Oldenburg. They lived in a rental house while John Bessler built their new home. While in Oldenburg, Leona attended school and graduated from the Holy Family Girls Academy. She also met and fell in love with the boy-next-door. Donald Kellerman lived in the house next to the one the Bessler family was renting. She and Don dated for several years until they married 16 Sept 1950 at Holy Family Catholic Church in Oldenburg.
Leona always enjoyed styling hair and became a professional beautician for the next 33 years, eventually owning her own business which she operated out of her home. She was an active member of the community of Oldenburg as well as a member of the Ladies Society at Holy Family.
In her free time, Leona enjoyed music (she played the gituar), reading, theatre, movies, travel, entertaining family and friends, gardening, fine dining, her cats, the many species of wild birds she fed as well as a flock of mallard ducks that she and Don cared for that lived on a pond on their property.
She and Don celebrated their 50th wedding anniversary in 2000. Shortly thereafter, she was diagnosed with a brain tumor. She died in 2003 from a seizure resulting from that tumor. She was 74. Her funeral mass was conducted at Holy Family. She is survived by her husband, two of her sisters, many nieces, nephews, several cousins as well as grand and great-grand nieces and nephews. The couple had no children.
Family Members
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MoMM1 Edgar Anthony "Ed" Bessler
1913–1944
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Marcella Josephine Sister Agnes Bessler
1914–1938
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Joseph Clement "Clem" Bessler
1915–2001
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Alfrieda Magdalena "Frieda" Bessler Spiegel
1917–2013
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Catherine Theresa "Kay & KK" Bessler
1919–1953
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Clarence Frank "Dick" Bessler
1922–1980
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Ruth Ann Bessler Bretnitz
1932–2014
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