Leona Buhlmann
1918 — 2017
Leona A. Buhlmann, 98, of Albion, NE passed away Tuesday, Feb. 7, 2017 at Good Samaritan Society-Albion.
Funeral Services were held Friday, Feb. 10, 2017 at Congregational UCC Church in Albion, with Rev. Ray Avidano officiating. Burial followed in the Akron Bonanza Cemetery, rural Albion. Condolences may be sent to the family at: www.levanderfuneralhome.com
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Leona Adeline Buhlmann, the daughter of Lewis and Anna (Simonson) Melland was born on Nov. 20, 1918 during a blizzard with no doctor present, at the family farm in the Sandhills northwest of Akron, NE.
Leona’s formal education started at age 4 where she and her brothers and sister had to walk 2 ½ miles to reach the rural school in Wheeler county. She attended Bartlett High School for two years before transferring to Albion High School where she graduated in May of 1935 at 16 years of age.
Following high school graduation Leona attended Wayne State College during the summer months and that fall began teaching at age 17. Her first teaching job required her to walk 3 ½ miles and cross 12 fences before arriving at District #17. She soon bought her first car a used Model T for $12.00! During her 11 years of teaching, Leona, her friend Ruth Kaufman Shaver, and her sister Blanche would travel to Detroit, MI during their summer breaks and work as nanny’s, and as waitresses to earn extra money. They had many life teaching experiences to share from this. On July 24, 1944 Leona was united in marriage to Elmer A. Buhlmann at the Zion Lutheran Church in Albion. The family lived and farmed in the Akron area, where Leona raised her 6 children and worked as a homemaker.
Leona was a member of the Akron Presbyterian Church, rural Albion, where she served many years as the Superintendent of the Sunday School. She served on the Boone County District 60 school board, was a member of the Jolly Neighbors Club and the Bonanza Homemakers Extension Club. Leona also served as the Superintendent at the Boone County Fair for the canned and baked goods. She wrote the column, “For Women Only” in the Albion News for 55 years, and was a published author in the book “My Midwest”.
Leona loved to spend time with her grandchildren and taught them many lessons in life. She also loved her cats, dogs, and chickens. Leona loved growing flowers and would bring and arrange flowers on the altar at the Akron Presbyterian Church every weekend.
She is survived by her six children: LeAnne (Charles) Eggers of Elgin; Gottfried (Vikki) Buhlmann of Albion, NE; Brenda (Roger) DeMay of Williamsburg, IA; E. Richard (Teri) Buhlmann of Broken Bow, NE; Larry Buhlmann of Johnson Lake, NE; Cheryl (Robert) Reeson of Omaha, NE; 16 grandchildren: Jim (Gigi) Eggers; Lori (Jory) Heiss, Jason (Rose) Buhlmann; Julie (Chad) Alcares; Staci (Chris) Voss; Angie (Bret) Brasfield; Kelli (Dave) Deines, Chris (Debbie) Moninger; Dell (Kristine) Moninger; Matt (Sarah) Buhlmann; JJ Buhlmann; Jon Buhlmann; Sonya (boyfriend Dustin Scholz) Buhlmann; Chris, Craig, and Tyler Reeson; 21 great-grandchildren; along with many other relatives and friends.
Leona was preceded in death by her parents, her husband Elmer in 1992, three brothers: Sherman, Clifford, and Orville, and her sister Blanche Johnson.
