Leona Ella Klundt, 88, Gackle, ND, died peacefully surrounded by family early Friday morning August 23, 2019 in St. Alexius Medical Center in Bismarck, ND.

Leona Miller was born July 5, 1931 on the family farm southwest of Gackle, the daughter of Joseph P. Miller and Christina (Kammerer) Miller. She received her elementary education at farm school in Ketterling District and attended Streeter High School. She grew to womanhood on the family farm. Asthma kept Leona out of the fields and in the kitchen preparing her for her future career.

She and Reuben Klundt were married October 23, 1949. They farmed near Alfred and then moved to Jamestown where Leona was employed at the Jamestown Hospital as a nurse's aide and Reuben worked on the construction of the Jamestown Dam. After the dam was completed, they returned to farming South of Gackle. In 1961 they moved into Gackle where she worked at the Gackle Hospital and waitressed at Lavonne's Coffee Shop. Later she took the plunge and opened her own little cafe at Mallard Lanes. In 1970, Leona was hired as Head Cook at the Gackle Public School and managed the school lunch program, enjoying summers off to work in her flower gardens. She loved to talk to all the kids that went through the lunch line and make sure they were well fed. She treated all the kids just like they were her own. After the Gackle School burned down, Leona was hired to cook at the State Hospital in Jamestown, ND. She reached the Cook Supervisor position and retired after 20 years of service.

Leona became a resident of the Gackle Care Center in the fall of 2010. She absolutely loved living there and looked forward to Bingo, Bible Study, Trivia and being able to help with the baking. She built many special relationships with the staff calling them her other family. Leona made over a 100 Afghans for family and friends, enjoyed getting company and talking about family history. She loved playing pinochle on Sunday afternoon with her friends. Several years she excitedly set her up butterfly pavilion and watched caterpillars morph into butterflies and then released them. On July 1, 2019 she moved to the Wishek Living Center.

She was a member of the First United Church of Christ in Gackle, ND and was active in the Guiding Light.

She is survived by her children, Jeffrey (Ruby) Klundt Gackle, ND; Marjorie (Terry) Opp Fargo, ND; Mark (Mari Jo Sigl) Klundt Bismarck, ND; 5 grandchildren; 13 great grandchildren with one great grandchild on the way; 1 sister Alice (LeRoy) Buck Streeter, ND; 1 sister-in-law, Edris Miller, Gackle, ND and 2 step-sisters, Darlene Ellingson New Rockford, ND and Clara Fiechtner Manango, ND.

She is preceded in death by her parents, her husband, grandson Jason Dale Klundt, 3 sisters and 1 brother in infancy, brother, Norman J. Miller and 3 step-sisters, Leona Walcker, Bernice Guthmiller and Wanda Topp.

Family requests that memorials be sent to the Gackle Care Center Activities Fund, P.O. Box 335, Gackle, ND 58442

Leona Klundt

July 05, 1931 - August 23, 2019

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