Leona Mae Olson, 89, of Union Grove, passed away peacefully on July 6, 2024, surrounded by family and love.
Leona was born in Burns on Aug. 20, 1934, to her loving parents Calvin and Inga Johnson. She grew up in the Coulee Region on her parents’ farm. She cherished working on the farm with her parents and siblings. She had fond memories of being daddy’s little girl.
Leona graduated from Bangor High School in 1952. Her graduating class was the first class in the school’s history to have female graduates. Not long after graduation, she met her sweetie Merlyn “Ole” Olson at a dance. Together they were the king and queen of the dance floor. They married April 24, 1953, and lived in West Salem, where they welcomed their children Carol Ann and Richard Neil.
In 1963, along with many friends and family, they migrated south for better employment opportunities and settled in Union Grove. Leona and her family flourished here with three generations of her family remaining in the Union Grove area. Leona quickly found work at Nestle in Burlington, where she made lifelong friendships and retired after 32 years. Up until recently, she enjoyed monthly birthday lunches with “the girls from work.”
Leona enjoyed traveling with family and friends around the United States. Her longest journey was to Hawaii to visit her granddaughter Christina, who was stationed there while serving in the Navy. She also enjoyed many trips fishing in Canada with her grandson, Matthew. She was not one to sit still and had many other hobbies such as ceramics, crafts, baking, playing cards, and GARDENING. She enjoyed nothing more than playing in the dirt. In the few last years, she enjoyed playing many cribbage games with her granddaughter, Erika. Leona is survived by her loving family including her grandchildren, Matthew Rosenow (Pam), Erika Rosenow and Christina (Michael) Martinez; great grandchildren; Chase, Faith and Kalibur Rosenow, and Madalyn and Michael Martinez; and last but certainly not least, her daughter Carol Rosenow who has selflessly taken care of her parents and their home for many years.
She was preceded in death by her husband, Merlyn; son, Rick; son-in-law, Alan Rosenow; her parents; her siblings, Bobby, Johnny, Russell, Stanley, Carl, Ruthie, Mildred, Agnes; sister and brother-in-law, Corrine and Robert Eggen; and her best friends, Marge and Adolf Skibo.
Leona’s family would like to thank the staff at Timber Oaks Assisted Living Facility in Union Grove who treated Leona like their own family. You have blown us away with the love and care you provided her. We will be eternally grateful for that.
A service will take place at the Southern Wisconsin Veterans Memorial Cemetery on July 23, 2024, at 10 a.m. This will be a joint service with her son in law, Alan Rosenow. A luncheon will follow at noon.
Miller-Reesman Funeral Home is serving the family. Well-wishers may visit www.Miller-Reesman.com.
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