Hedy Leas

Hedy R. Leas, 89, of Waukon, IA, died Saturday, May 20, 2017, at Guttenberg Care Center in Guttenberg, IA. Memorial services will be held Friday, May 26th, at 11:00 AM at Rossville Presbyterian Church in Rossville, IA, with Pastor Tim Rupert officiating. Friends may call from 4:00 PM - 7:00 PM Thursday at Martin Funeral Home in Waukon. Memorials may be made to the Rossville Presbyterian Church or to Veterans Memorial Healthcare Foundation.

Hedy Rose Leas was born November 23, 1927 in rural Clayton County, IA the daughter of Wilhelm and Emilie Theodora (Denninghoff) Buerger. Her parents lived on several different farms in northeast Iowa when she was young so she attended a number of different country schools before graduating  from Waukon High School in 1946. Hedy started her working career at the Dubuque, IA, battery factory and then worked at the Northwestern Bell Telephone office in La Crosse, WI, before spending many years working in the Allamakee County Engineer's Office in Waukon. On May 1, 1971 she married Arvid Floyd Leas at the Zion Untited Church of Christ in Waukon. She and Arvid lived for many years on their farm in rural Waterville, IA.

Hedy loved to travel and enjoyed two trips to Germany as well as spending 12 winters in Texas with Arvid and then 4 more on her own following his death in 2012. She was a devoted member of the Rossville Presbyterian Church, took an active roll in the Women's Farm Bureau and Veterans Memorial Hospital Auxiliary, and volunteered at the Allamakee County Food Shelf. A keen interest in politics led to her memberships in the Allamakee County Republican Party and the NRA. Hedy had a number of other pastimes, including being an avid reader, going to sales and auctions where she collected antiques and coins, fishing and hunting when she was younger, playing cards, dancing, and numerous outings for recreational gaming and with the Red Hat Ladies. She made many trips to visit her shut-in friends and loved any time she could spend with her nieces and nephews.

Survivors include her four sisters: Sophie Callen of Marceline, MO, Helen Ludeking of Lansing, IA, Theresa (Jack) Tremain of Conrad, IA, and Ann Schaffer of Hot Springs, AR; a brother Willi (Carol) Buerger of Garber, IA; a sister-in-law Barbara (Kirk) Mowat of Mission, TX; and several cousins, nieces, and nephews. She is preceded in death by her parents; her husband Arvid; her mother and father-in-law Arthur and Louise Leas; and brothers and sisters-in-law Gale Ludeking, Ken Callen, Allen & Ann Leas, Theodore & LaRene Gjefle, Floyd & Maxine Thorstenson, and Eldon & Delores Leas.