Leona Shaffer

URSA, Ill. -- Leona Appalonia Shaffer, 94, of Ursa, died at 12:27 a.m. Monday (July 15, 2013) in the North Adams Home, Mendon.

Leona was born May 27, 1919, at home, east of Marcelline, a daughter of William and Carrie Schlenk Holtman. She married Vern B. Shaffer on Sept. 11, 1940, in St. Rose of Lima Catholic Church, Quincy. Vern died Dec. 12, 1987.

Leona graduated from Mendon Township High School in 1937. She attended Gem City Business College from 1937 until 1939. She was a homemaker, before being employed by Recovery Resources, where she worked for 20 years.

Leona was a member of St. Edward the Confessor Catholic Church in Mendon and the St. Edward's Leisure Club, where she was the secretary and treasurer. She was a member of the Adams County Home Education-Ursa Indian Grave Unit for 50 years and helped with the Catholic Deanery Blanket Project.

She enjoyed flower and vegetable gardening, crocheting, knitting and quilting. She loved spending time with her grandchildren and great-grandchildren. She enjoyed life and tried to hold on for as long as she could.

Surviving are four sons, LaVern (Jeannette) Shaffer, Gary (Janet) Shaffer, David (Karen) Shaffer and Duane (Pam) Shaffer, all of Ursa; 12 grandchildren, Chris (Jerry) Steenhoek of Winterset, Iowa, Carol (Scott) Hull of Quincy, Carla (Rusty) Smith of Plainville, Craig (Missy) of Ursa, Curt (Kristen) of Ursa, Mike Shaffer of Quincy, Lisa (Todd) Kroner of Mendon, Carrie (Jeromy) Shepherd of Ursa, Jeff (Michelle) Shaffer of Imperial, Mo., Nicole (Kevin) Schaffnit of Mendon, Maria (Jason) Connoyer of Ursa, Tom (Janel) Shaffer of Ursa; 25 great-grandchildren, Kalyn, Kelsey and Kylie Hull, Alyssa, Erin and Syeira Smith, Chace, Dylan and Brianne Shaffer, Cole, Greta and Cody Shaffer, Hannah and Jake Kroner, Melia and Michael Shepherd, Olivia Grace, Annabelle, Andrea and Parker Schaffnit, Alex and Jackson Connoyer, Sophia, Jillian, and Meredith Shaffer; and several nieces and nephews.

She was preceded in death by her parents; two brothers, Herbert Arthur Holtman and Otis Arnold Holtman; and one granddaughter, Cindy Shaffer.

SERVICES: Mass of Christian Burial will be at 10 a.m. Monday in St. Edward the Confessor Catholic Church in Mendon, with the Rev. Jeff Stone conducting. She will be laid to rest next to Vern in the New Providence Cemetery, near Ursa.

VISITATION: 4 to 7 p.m. Sunday in the Hunter Funeral Home, Mendon, with a prayer service at 7:30 p.m.

MEMORIALS: North Adams Nursing Home or the Ladies of St. Edward's.

ARRANGEMENTS: Hunter Funeral Home, Mendon.

WEBSITE: www.hunterfh.com.

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