Leona M. "Nonie" (Doud) Sheil (2010)

DOUD, SHEIL, MCEVOY, MAXWELL, HUMMER, LYDON, FITCH, ROGERS, LAZURE

Posted By: Shirley Keating (email)
Date: 2/25/2010 at 21:42:30

Des Moines Register, Des Moines, Iowa
February 16, 2010

LEONA M. "NONIE" SHEIL, Johnston

Leona M."Nonie" Sheil died Saturday, February 13 at the age of 95 following a brief illness.

A Mass of Christian Burial will be Wednesday, February 17, at 10:30 a.m. at St. Theresa's Catholic Church where she was a founding member of 60 years. Burial will be at Glendale Cemetery. Visitation with the family present will be at Westover Funeral Home on Tuesday, February 16, from 4 to 7 p.m. with a prayer service at 7 p.m.

Leona was born in Stuart, Iowa on September 15, 1914 to Mary and John Doud. She grew up on a farm with two sisters, Mary Agnes "Mayme" McEvoy and Veronica "Bonnie" Maxwell Hummer and five brothers, Martin, Thomas, James, Francis and her twin brother, Leo. She graduated from Stuart High School and from Capital City Commercial College in Des Moines. Leona was united in marriage to Richard Sheil on June 25, 1949 in Des Moines. He preceded her in death in May of 1997. Leona was retired from the position of executive secretary of the Des Moines Life Underwriters. She also was the parish secretary for Monsignor Charles Phelan for 15 years at St. Theresa Catholic Church. She was a member of the Mercy Auxiliary of Central Iowa, has served on the board of Catholic Women's League and the Bishop Drumm Guild.

Leona was very proud of her Irish heritage. Her mother was born in County Galway, Ireland and came to Iowa with her parents, Michael and Mary Lydon. Her father was born near Des Moines at the Irish settlement after his parents arrived from County Roscommon, Ireland. Her grandparents were pioneer settlers of Madison and Adair County, Iowa. Patrick Doud, her grandfather served with General Sherman during the Civil War.

She is survived by a daughter and son-in-law, Mary Jane and Jim Fitch; three grandchildren and their spouses, Carolyn and Brian Rogers, Katie and Pat Lazure, and Dan and Jane Fitch; five great- grandchildren, Grant and Dylan Rogers, Lauren Lazure, Alex and Claire Fitch and many nieces and nephews whom she also loved dearly. She was preceded in death by her husband, her parents and her seven siblings.

Memorials may be directed to St. Theresa's Catholic School or Mercy Hospice Johnston in Leona's name.