LEONARD, Charlotte

LEONARD, REDINGTON, KROUT, POWELL, BOATMAN, REDMAN, PETERSON, RASMUSSEN, CLINE, PEARL, CUNNINGHAM, PARK, HENDERSON, SCOTT, CROSS

Posted By: Lynette Edsall (email)
Date: 9/3/2008 at 10:20:23

CHARLOTTE LEONARD
(October 14, 1920 - September 2, 2008)

CHARLOTTE LEONARD, 87, of Cherokee, Iowa passed away Tuesday, September 2, 2008 at the Cherokee Regional Medical Center. Graveside memorial services will be held on Friday, September 5th, at 11:30 a.m. at the Oak Hill Cemetery in Cherokee. Mr. Ed Ford will officiate. Mrs. Leonard’s remains were cremated. There will be no visitation. The Boothby Funeral Home in Cherokee is in charge of the arrangements. On line condolences may be sent to www.boothbyfuneral.com.

Charlotte Leonard was born October 14, 1920 in Cherokee, Iowa to Howard and Anne L. (Redington) Krout. She attended school in the Cherokee area until 1938. In 1939 she was married to Dwight Leonard and started the family to which she would be entirely devoted for the rest of her life. After divorcing, Charlotte worked tirelessly to raise her seven children on her own. Over the years she not only raised her own children, but five of her grandchildren. Charlotte was a staunch defender of her family, letting no one come between them.

Early in her career, Charlotte was the Head Dietician for the MHI in Cherokee. However, for most of her working life, she was the beloved and faithful caretaker of some of Cherokee’s most prominent families. Caring for doctors, lawyers and Senators, she would make sure busy and important families enjoyed a fine meal at their dinner table as she had prepared at home for her family. In doing so, she built quite a reputation around town as a talented and sought after cook. Her wonderful meals were the talk of the town and something she cherished to the end. She loved to reminisce about the families she cared for and the fine meals she created for them.

She was also known by many as a knowledgeable natural healer, even by the Doctors for whom she worked. She had a tried and true home remedy cure for any ailment you presented.

Charlotte’s hobbies included studying vitamins and natural medicine, gardening, cooking, crossword puzzles, catalog shopping, playing the lottery, and of course, her family. She was also a great lover of animals having many pets over the years including dogs, goats and chinchillas.

She was preceded in death by her parents, four of her sisters; Beulah Powell, Azalea Boatman, Bert Redman, and Babe Peterson. Also by her beloved children Timothy Leonard and TeeDee Turner, and by a grandson she raised Jon Pearl.

She is survived by two sisters: Shirley Rasmussen and Marcella Cline, both of Cherokee, her five children: Sheryl (Vernon) Cunningham, and Becky Leonard of Cherokee; Stephen Leonard of Anamosa; Jewell Park of Urbandale, Iowa and Taffee Henderson of Denver, Colorado. Her grandchildren are Jeff, Craig and Elizabeth Cunningham, Michelle Leonard; Tim, Heidi and Wendy Scott; Jamie and Kelly Cross; also blessed with 10 great grandchildren