Leona E. (Berns) Harris, 17 Jan 1930 - 12 Mar 2019

HARRIS, BERNS, FRIEDMAN, BURR, VANTOMME, SCOTT, JOHNSON, DERYCKE, POWELL, MONNAHAN, KEPPLER

Posted By: Sarah Witte (email)
Date: 1/20/2020 at 15:45:22

Leona E. Harris, 89, of Belle Plaine, IA passed away Tuesday, March 12, 2019 at Belle Plaine Specialty Care.

Services are 10:30 a.m. Saturday, March 16, 2019 at St. Michael’s Catholic Church, Belle Plaine with Deacon Joe Behounek officiating. Burial will take place at Oak Hill Cemetery, Belle Plaine.

Visitation is 4-7 p.m. Friday, March 15th at Hrabak-Neuhaus Funeral Service, Belle Plaine with vigil wake service at 6:30 p.m. Memorials may be directed to the family. Online condolences can be sent to the family at www.hrabakfuneralhome.com

Leona was born January 17, 1930 to Carl and Margaret (Burr) Berns in Garnavillo, IA. Following school, Leona helped her family on the farm. On December 27, 1950, she married Cletus Friedman. To this union ten children were born. In 1961 the couple moved to Irving, IA. They later divorced.

Leona worked various jobs in the restaurant business before retiring from Amana Refrigeration in 1997 at the age of 57. On May 2, 1981, Leona married James Harris and shortly after they moved to Belle Plaine.

Leona enjoyed quilting, sewing, flowers, playing cards (pepper, euchre, and hand and foot), baking, cinnamon bread and kolaches being her specialty and being active in the church. She was a member of the American Legion Auxiliary, St. Michael’s Church, Sew Sew Quilt Club and Athena.

She is survived by her sons, Robert Friedman of Austin, TX, David (Sheryl) Friedman of Blakesburg, grandchildren, Joshua and April, Daniel (Monica) Friedman of Belle Plaine, grandchildren, Amber, Alisha and Matthew, Gary (Joellen) Friedman of DeWitt, grandchildren, Jessica, Amanda and Luke, Dennis (Vicki) Friedman of Jefferson; grandchildren, Ryan and Jason; daughters, Judy (Terry) VanTomme of Brooklyn, grandchildren, Chad and Terra, Sandy (Jim) Scott of Fayetteville, GA, grandchildren, Morgan and Adam, Margaret (Darrel) Johnson of Marengo, grandchildren, Megan and Ross, Mary (Mike) DeRycke of Victor, grandchildren, Andrew and Gregory; 24 great-grandchildren; siblings, Willie, Jim and Dennis Berns.

Leona is preceded in death by her parents; husband, James; daughter, Linda Powell; great-grandson, Paul Daniel Smith; siblings, Marie Monnahan, Elmer and Donald Berns and Verna Keppler.

Published in The Gazette on March 14, 2019