Leona F. Guill 1930 ~ 2007

LEONA FAYE (LEWIS). GUILL was born October 25, 1930, to Richard and Pearl E. (Jones) Lewis in rural Cedar County, near Laurel, Nebraska. Leona entered into eternal rest at her home in Oakland, Nebraska, on Tuesday, December 11, 2007, at the age of 77 years.

Leona was baptized as an infant in the Catholic Church in Laurel. After her marriage, she joined Trinity Lutheran Church in Decatur and in 1974, transferred her membership to the First Evangelical Lutheran Church in Oakland.

Leona attended rural elementary school in Cedar County and her high school freshman year at Laurel. In 1943, her family moved to a farm south of Decatur, Nebraska. Leona graduated from Decatur High School in 1947.

On September 9, 1948, Leona married George T. Guill in Council Bluffs, Iowa. To this marriage five children were born: Cathy, Randall, Candice, Nona and John. George and Leona made their home on the family farm southeast of Decatur. In 1964, the family left the Decatur Missouri River bottom to a hill farm east of Lyons. In 1974, George and Leona moved to a rural acreage south of Oakland. In 1994, they moved into Oakland.

Leona loved sewing, making many of her children’s clothes. She also did mending and alterations for others. Leona was a 4-H Home Economics leader for several years. In later years, she developed an interest in wood working, making many items that were primarily given to others. She continued sewing and woodworking until failing eyesight forced her to discontinue these activities in 2002. Recently, she enjoyed holding her great grandchildren and reading books to them.

Leona was employed for several years at Logan Valley Manor and Oakland Heights Nursing Home. She diligently provided care to patients at Oakland Memorial Hospital for over 25 years. In 1998, the Nebraska Association of Hospitals and Health System recognized Leona with a “Caring Kind Employee of the Year” award for her “conscientious, dedicated and caring service, who pays attention to details”. It was said that “Leona makes a better Aide than a patient.” Most importantly, Leona provided care, support and guidance to her family for a lifetime.

She was preceded in death by her parents; five brothers, two sisters and grandson.

Survivors include her husband: George of Oakland: five children: Cathy Thiemann and her husband, Lee, of Richardson, Texas, Randall Guill of Norfolk, Nebraska; Candice Brink of Parker, Colorado, Nona Van Damme of Bay Point, California and John Guill of Oakland; eleven grandchildren; nine great-grandchildren and three sisters.

FUNERAL SERVICE:  Monday, December 17, 2007, 2:00 p.m. at the First Evangelical Lutheran Church in Oakland.

VISITATION:  Sunday, December 16, 2007, from 1- 8 p.m. with the family receiving friends from 3 – 5 p.m. at Pelan Funeral Home in Oakland. Visitation will also be held Monday at the church one hour prior to the service.

BURIAL:  Oakland Cemetery