Leona Lyon

Leona Lyon, age 88, died peacefully in her sleep on June 2, 2024, at United Hospital in Blue Earth. A memorial service will be held at 2:00 pm on Monday, July 8, at Patton Funeral Home with Rev. Carol Mapa officiating. Burial will be at Riverside Cemetery in Blue Earth. Visitation will be one hour before the service at the funeral home. Online condolences can be left at www.pattonfh.com

Leona was born on March 18, 1936, in a farm house in Jo Daviess Township west of Blue Earth to Aaron and Inez (Larson) Henke. She was baptized and confirmed at Trinity Lutheran Church. Leona grew up on a farm outside of Blue Earth and attended a one-room country school through the fifth grade.  She then continued her education in Blue Earth and graduated in 1954.

She was introduced to her future husband, Gale, through Erling Frette and his girlfriend at Ankeny’s roller-skating rink. They only dated two weeks when he asked her to marry him and she replied, “That’s kind of quick, isn’t it?” So he waited and asked her again after six months, and this time she said yes. She went home and told her parents and her mom asked, “You’re not getting married right away, are you?” Leona said no, that they would wait a year. They were married on June 16, 1957, at Trinity Lutheran.

Gale asked Leona the places she had traveled and her reply was “as far east as Austin, MN, as far north as Minneapolis, and as far southwest as Armstrong, IA. Gale then said, “Well, let’s go out and see the rest of the country.” They accomplished their dream by visiting many states and National Parks over the years. They attended 20 Air Force reunions around the US starting in 1995. Her favorite place to travel was Arizona to visit her aunt, Thelma Oelke.

They were blessed with three wonderful children, Darwin, Colleen and Craig.

In 1970, Leona started a daycare in her home. She continued for 46 years until she broke her hip in 2015 while attending an Air Force reunion in Branson, Missouri.

Gale passed away on April 8, 2016. They were married for 58 years.

She is survived by her children: Darwin Lyon of Blue Earth, Colleen (James) Rodrigue of Allen, TX, and Craig (Teresa) Lyon of Champlin. grandchildren: Rebecca (Darin) Willette of North Mankato, Whitney (Fran) Mirmina of Jacksonville, FL, Travis Stevermer of Anna, TX, Jennifer (Blake) Carlson of Otsego, and Breanna (Dylan) Jech of Albertville. great-grandchildren: Louis, Greta and Calvin Willette, Molly Carlson, Giuliana Mirmina, and unborn baby boy Jech due in September, as well as many other nieces, nephews and cousins.

Leona is preceded in death by her parents, her husband Gale, and brother James Henke.