Leone Rustin Watson 1920-2010

WATSON, NORBY RUSTIN

Posted By: Connie Swearingen (email)
Date: 11/12/2010 at 19:24:53

Sioux City Journal
2 April 2010

SOLDIER, Iowa -- Leone Rustin Watson, 89, of Waterloo, Iowa, formerly of Smithland and Soldier, Iowa, died Tuesday, March 30, 2010, at Allen Hospital in Waterloo.

Services will be 10 a.m. Saturday at Soldier Lutheran Church, with Pastor Meggan Manlove officiating. Burial will be in Little Sioux Township Cemetery in Smithland. Visitation will be 4 to 8 p.m. today at Rush Family Care Service in Onawa, Iowa.

Leone was born May 6, 1920 at Soldier, the daughter of Christian J. and Julia (Norby) Rustin. She was raised on her parents' farm at the south edge of Soldier. After graduation, Leone attended Wayne State Teacher's College in Wayne, Neb. She taught one year in a country school at Soldier before teaching at Smithland where she met her future husband, Jay Watson. Later Leone worked in the war plant in Omaha during World War II.

Leone and Jay Allen Watson were united in marriage Nov. 17, 1945, at Soldier after Jay's return from military service. They made their home in Smithland where they both were involved in the American Legion and Auxiliary. Leone also taught school at Smithland and Westwood Community Schools. Her teaching career spanned 37 years. After Jay's death on July 4, 1992, Leone moved to Soldier. In August 2006 she relocated to the Waterloo area to be closer to family.

Ever devoted to her friends and family, Leone enjoyed visits whenever possible. She loved to crochet and sew, and continued to be an avid reader of many types of writing.

Survivors include two daughters and their husbands, Jane and Jerry Gerrard of Mesa, Ariz., and Linda and Joe Schutte of Cedar Falls, Iowa; four grandchildren, Dr. Jason L. (Jennifer) Gerrard of Boston, Mass., Joshua (Kim) Gerrard of Queens Creek, Ariz., Patrick Schutte of Des Moines, Iowa, and Amy Schutte of Des Moines; four great grandchildren, Preston Schutte-Brown, Noah Gerrard, Caleb Gerrard and Lilliana S. Gerrard; a sister, Merle Lucken of Akron, Iowa; and four nieces and three nephews.

In addition to her husband she was preceded in death by an infant son, Randall, and a brother, Glen Rustin