Leo Frank Stickney 1923 - 2018

GOTHIER, STICKNEY, CROSLEY

Posted By: Connie Swearingen -Volunteer (email)
Date: 11/14/2018 at 21:55:28

Sioux City Journal
14 November 2018

Smithland, Iowa

Leo F. Stickney, 95, a resident of Smithland, passed away Monday, Nov. 12, 2018, peacefully in the arms of his wife and his family at his bedside.

Services will be 10:30 a.m. Friday at United Methodist Church in Smithland, with the the Rev. Karen Handke officiating. Burial will be in Memorial Park Cemetery, Sioux City. Visitation will be 5 to 8 p.m. Thursday, with a Masonic service conducted by the Attica Lodge No. 502 A.F. & A.M. at 7:30 p.m., at the church. Arrangements are under the direction of Waterbury Funeral Service of Sergeant Bluff.

Leo Frank Stickney was born on June 8, 1923, on a farm west of Anthon, Iowa near the West Fork, to Frank and Ida (Gothier) Stickney. He was the youngest of three children and attended country school until their move to the "college" farm west of Smithland. In 1940, he graduated from Smithland High School. While in high school, he and his parents moved to a farm northeast of Smithland where he lived and farmed with his parents until he met Phyllis Loraine Crosley.

They were married on Jan. 29, 1954 at Grace Methodist Church in Sioux City. His parents had moved to Sioux City and he and Phyllis began to raise their four children and continued farming the farm northeast of Smithland until he retired. He was a hard worker and raised crops, hogs, feeder cows and also partnered with his older brother, Norman, working a cow/calf herd. There are many great memories to cherish of cattle drives with the help from the community kids.

Leo was baptized and a member of Smithland United Methodist Church and took pride in participating in their annual Fish Fry as one of their fish frying experts. He loved fishing catfish on the Little Sioux and Red Rivers, walleye in South Dakota, bowling men's and mixed league, golfing and belonged to the Sloan Golf Club Ole Timers League. Hunting trophy whitetail deer and pheasants with family and friends was also a big joy he looked forward to every year. Playing cards at Uhl's Feed Store in Smithland was also a favorite pastime as it was for his dad before him. He loved entertaining family and friends, gardening, his lawn, making concord grape, elderberry and apple wine, making canes and walking sticks, picking and shelling walnuts and did most of these things until his nineties.

He was a 70 plus year member of the Sioux City Scottish Rite, Masonic Lodge Attica Lodge No. 502 AF & AM, and a 53 year member of the Abu Bekr Shrine Oriental Band, enjoying parading all over the country and Canada, marching and playing his musette horn. He loved his Shrine friends and traveling to warm spots with them in the winter. He was a very faithful friend and had many lifelong relationships that were very important to him.

He loved all his grandchildren and great-grandchildren and they brought great joy to him. He will be missed very much, but will live in our hearts forever.

He is survived by his wife of 64 years, Phyllis; a son, Larry and his wife, Suzanne Stickney of Sergeant Bluff; a daughter, Kay and husband, Mark Till of Smithland; a son, Brian and wife, Brenda Stickney of Smithland; a daughter, Lisa and husband, Robert Rucker of Cedar Park, Texas; eight grandchildren, Weston and wife, Kayla Till and their children, Cambree and Asher, Aaron and wife, Jerica Stickney and their children, Cayden, Blake, and Liam, Renee and husband, Matt McDonald and their children, Rylee, Colton and Aiden, Sarah and husband, Craig Timmerman and their children, Rowan, Luna and Tamber, Ben Stickney, Lyle Stickney, Hannah Rucker, and William Rucker; brothers-in-law and sisters-in-law, John and Mary Crosley, Carl and Elaine Crosley, Betty Warren, Robert and Linda Crosley, Gloria and Roland Kluender, and Carol and Bob Workman; and numerous nieces and nephews.

Leo was preceded in death by his parents, Frank and Ida Stickney; father and mother-in-law, George and Hannah Crosley; brother and wifeb Norman and Lois Stickney; sister and husbandb Elaine and Earle Hammer; sister-in-law, Edna Warren; brother-in-law, Dale Warren; nephew, Alan Stickney; niece, Denise Stickney; and nephew, Jack Crosley.

The family would like to thank the caring hands and hearts from Maple Heights in Mapleton, Iowa.

Memorials can be made to the Shriner's Hospital for Children, 2025 E. River Park Way, Minneapolis, MN 55414.