back to home page  

back to KHS Graduates

back to Klemme School

Leona Priebe

1912 - 2001

 

Leona Priebe
 

Klemme - Leona Priebe, honored for her community service by former Iowa Gov. Terry Branstad, and a life-long resident of the Klemme area, died Saturday (May 26, 2001) at the Muse Norris Hospice Inpatient Unit, Mason City, after a long illness, at the age of 89.

A funeral service will be held at 1:30 p.m. Tuesday at Immanuel Reformed United Church of Christ, Klemme, with the Rev. Dona Buckman officiating. Burial will be in Ell Township Cemetery, Klemme.

Visitation will be held from 4 to 7 p.m. today at Tenold Funeral Home, Klemme and one hour prior to services at the church.

Leona was the daughter of Henry and Margaret (Roths) Buseman. She was born in Mason City on March 27, 1912, and moved as a small child to the Klemme area, where she lived her entire life. She was more recently a resident to the Oakwood Care Center, Clear Lake.

She was united in marriage to Albert Priebe on May 27, 1931, at the Klemme Evangelical and Reformed Church. Leona led an acitve life that included careers of farming and real-estate brokerage, which she shared with her late husband. Always interested in print media, she edited and published a homemakers' magazine and often did "job printing" of cookbooks and church publications. With developed skills as a photographer, she for many years was a member of the Mason City Camera Club. For a time she also sold "advertising specialty" items.

Leona was publicly honored by Gov. Branstad in 1990 for her "outstanding volunteer services." Until her illness necessitated her moving to Oakwood, Leona continued to visit confined friends and on many days drove people to appointments. Sundays often saw gatherings of the extended family at her Klemme home, with Leona providing a warm welcome and her delicious meals. Leona was a member of the Clear Lake Women's Club, North Iowa Women's Shrine Auxiliary, Klemme Grandmothers Clubs, several garden clubs and the Doreas Circle at the Klemme United Church of Christ. Many will treasure her many gifts of crocheted afghans, quilts and a variety of other handwork A host of friends mourn her passing, but celebrate her long life.

She is survived by her three daughters, Luella (Jim) Bonner of Clear Lake, Lucille (John Dick) Gaffney of Swaledale and Miriam (Eugene) Jaberg of Fridley, Minnesota; nine grandchildren, Randy and Edward Gaffney, Mark, Steven, Douglas Ames; Nancy Johnson, Scott, Beth and David Jaberg; 12 great-grandchildren, Catherine, Terra, Sarah, Angela, Benjamin Gaffney, Jeremy, Jennifer, Tanya, Jenna Ames, Greg Nieman, Merielle and Cherilyn Schafer; one great-great-grandchild, Bridget Gaffney; and a sister-in-law, Betty Buseman of Clear Lake.

She was preceded in death by her parents, husband, Albert, sister, Esther Schlawin, two brothers, Francis and Franklyn Buseman, grandson, David Ames, and great-granddaughter, Amy Nieman.

source: Globe Gazette, Mason City, Iowa, 28 May 2001, page A9, column 1