Leona May (Peterson) Reed, age 84 of rural South Wayne, Wi passed away peacefully at her home with the family at her side on Monday, April 5, 2021. She was born on October 12, 1936 in Wiota Township the daughter of Alvin and Mabel (Thoreson) Peterson. Leona was one of three girls born that day sharing her birthday with Barbara Kinane and Judith Berget. She attended the Owego One Room Rural School and graduated from Argyle High School in 1954. She went on to graduate from Platteville State College which later became the University of Wisconsin-Platteville in 1956 with a Rural Education Diploma. Leona returned home and taught at Mills School near Woodford and Hawley School near Wiota. She was united in marriage to Orval Reed on June 5, 1960 at the East Wiota Lutheran Church. Then came along their three R’s; Robert, Rhonda and Rodney. They farmed and lived on the Reed Family dairy farm which Orval took over at the age of 17 together for almost 61 years.
Leona is survived by her husband Orval at home; children Rhonda May (David) Werren of rural Argyle, Wi and Rodney (Christy Noble) Reed of rural South Wayne; one sister; Ruth Ann Peterson of Janesville, Wi; two brothers; Eugene Peterson and Sherman (Lorene) Peterson both of Argyle; four grandchildren, Rachel (Matt) Jenson, Daniel (Ashley Andrews) Werren, Michael (Wendy Wild) Werren and Kyle (Shanna Martin) Reed; ten great-grandchildren; Caleb, Callee and Carrah Jenson, Wade and Gunnar Werren, Jeremy and Jasper Wild-Werren, Janell and Jaymie Werren and Jesse Reed and several nieces and nephews.
She was preceded in death by her son, Robert Orval Reed, April 30, 2020; a sister-in-law Lee Peterson, her parents and mother & father-in-law, Merrill & Martha Reed.
Leona and Orval became members of St Paul’s Lutheran Church of Warren, IL and later St Paul’s United Church of Christ in South Wayne Township. She was also a part of its Women’s Guild, was a Sunday School Teacher and served as a full-time organist at the churches for many years. Leona was a charter member of the Pecatonica Valley Antique Club, a member of Zion Country Club and always enjoyed playing organ, playing a good game of Euchre or Kings Corners and spending time with her children, grandchildren and great-grandchildren. She was well known for making lefse and her no bake cookies.
A visitation will be held Sunday, April 11, 2021 from 3:00 pm to 7:00pm at the Erickson Funeral Home in Argyle. There will be a private family burial at Elmwood Cemetery in Warren, IL. Erickson Funeral home assisted the family.
A special Thank You goes out to Dr Cleary, Kevin and Scott Cernek, Sentinel Home Care LLC - Peggy, Renee and Danielle.
