In Memory of Gloria Mae Leonard

Gloria Mae Leonard, age 90, of Holstein, Iowa, passed away on Saturday, November 27, 2021, at her residence of Holstein, Iowa.

A Funeral Service will be held at 2:00 p.m., on Saturday, December 4, 2021, at the Faith Lutheran Church of Holstein, Iowa. Pastor Scott Neumann will officiate. Committal Services will follow in the Holstein Cemetery of Holstein, Iowa. A Visitation will be held from 4:30 p.m. to 6:30 p.m., with a Prayer Service at 6:15 p.m., on Friday, December 3, 2021, at the Faith Lutheran Church of Holstein, Iowa.

The Christensen-Van Houten Funeral Home of Ida Grove, Iowa, is in charge of the funeral arrangements. Condolences may be sent online at www.christensenvanhouten.com      

Gloria Mae Leonard, 90, of Holstein, entered God’s Kingdom Saturday morning, Nov. 27, 2021. She was at home, and at peace, with her daughter, Lori, at her side.

Gloria Mae Hoops was born in Sioux Valley Hospital in Cherokee, Iowa, on June 29, 1931, to Herman F. and Amanda M. Hoops, née Pieper, rural Holstein, Iowa. After a fire destroyed their home on a farm north of Holstein when Gloria was a young girl, the family moved to Galva, Iowa.

A lifelong Lutheran, Gloria was baptized, confirmed, and married at St. John’s Lutheran Church in Galva and remained a member there until 1952.

Gloria attended Galva Consolidated School and graduated from Galva High School in 1948 at the age of 16. Immediately following high school graduation, she enrolled in Commercial Extension School of Business in Omaha. Upon graduation, she acquired a secretarial position at Northwestern Oil Co. in Omaha. After working for a year, she returned to her hometown to be near the young man who had been courting her since high school.

Gloria met William M. Leonard in early 1948. He had served in the U.S. Army during World War II and was stationed in Japan. Not long after he returned home at Christmastime in 1947, he heard about a “cute red-headed cheerleader” from Galva. Bill attended the first Galva home basketball game after Christmas break to check out the situation. You could say he was intrigued as he made sure to end up at the popular dance spot “The Cobblestone” in Storm Lake, where he was informed Gloria and her friends would be socializing. They hit it off and after Gloria graduated from high school and moved to Omaha, the two continued to date. He proposed to her on the drive to a farm south of Holstein where they were headed to chivaree their close friends and newlyweds, Charlie and Gloria Conover, in fall 1949.

Bill and Gloria were married two months later, Dec. 18, 1949, and took up residence on Leonard farms northwest of Holstein for 13 years. One of the happiest days of their full lives together was Sept. 25, 1963, when they purchased the Lage Estate one mile north of Holstein. It was an auction that drew 5,000 bidders and visitors and newspaper articles recorded that “there had never been anything like it, probably never would be again.” When the auctioneer cried “SOLD!” Gloria let out a whoop, jumped on Bill and they both tumbled to the ground. Gloria was still recalling that story with vivid detail, and could point to the spot in the front lawn where it happened, in the last week of her life. After living there nearly 58 years, Gloria spent her final days in her beloved Victorian home, surrounded by friends, family, music, the word puzzles she loved to do, and dozens of photographs of four generations of family, to whom she devoted her life.

Gloria and Bill were the first couple to be married in the “new” St. John’s Lutheran Church in Galva. Gloria remained a member there until she and Bill struck a compromise a couple years into their marriage. Bill, a Methodist from Holstein, would convert to Lutheran, if Gloria would agree to join the Lutheran church in Holstein, instead of Galva.

To this union were born three children: Billee Jean Leonard Madsen, Mark Wade Leonard, Lori Sue Leonard Reyman. Gloria leaves to mourn her passing her three children and their spouses, eight grandchildren and their spouses, 20 great-grandchildren, two brothers, one sister-in-law, and a host of relatives and friends.

Gloria was a wife, mother, and homemaker who was active in St. Paul’s Lutheran Church, the community of Holstein and local school and club activities. The Leonards were staunch supporters of the Scouting program, with Gloria serving as a Cub Scout den leader. She served on the Centennial Commission when Holstein celebrated its 100-year anniversary in 1982 and was instrumental in creating the Holstein Centennial book, which remains a trusted reference by townspeople seeking historical or genealogical information. She also ran the Holstein Centennial store, along with girlfriends Shirley Ewoldt, Delores Meyer and Lorna Vollmar. The ladies kept the store open for more than a year to raise money for the celebration and provide mementos, clothing, logo items, and perhaps most importantly, a gathering spot to chat and have a cup of coffee.

Gloria’s hospitality skills were well-known and appreciated by multiple generations. She considered herself a “very average” cook – despite family protestations and grandchildren who rave especially about her chocolate pie – but there’s no denying her exceptional event planning and hostessing skills. Cooking was something she just wanted to “get done” so she could spend her time setting a stunning table, wrapping fancy packages, coming up with creative themes, organizing games, sock hops, and elaborate treasure hunts, and creating door prizes, decorations, and costumes. And she never, ever let anyone see the bottom of their coffee cup.

She was a good singer who as a child was frequently pulled before a crowd to “sing a little something, Gloria.” She won the “Sioux City Sue” beauty and talent contest as a teenager and she enjoyed her school years as a cheerleader and chumming around with her best childhood friend, Delores Elze Albanese, a friendship which endured for 80 years.

While God and family occupied the center of Gloria’s life, she and Bill cherished their friendships, including the “Card Gang,” who were friends since school days. The Butchers, Conovers, Ellerbusches, Friedrichsens, Leonards and Vohses played the card game “500” together monthly for more than 50 years. Together they celebrated weddings, birthdays, baptisms and holidays, and supported each other through thick and thin. Many of the Gang have passed away, but those who were able gathered on June 29, 2021, for one last “Gloria-style” party in her home, celebrating her 90^th birthday with champagne toasts, yellow roses and leopard decorations, and everyone donning leopard ears for their costume. There is no doubt, Gloria loved a good party and folks always enjoyed a soiree at Gloria’s.

She was an excellent housekeeper and a good seamstress, but her favorite hobby was woodworking. She has a workshop filled with hand and power tools and over the years has built, refurbished and refinished furniture, decorative items, gifts, and created hundreds of wooden crafts. The children and grandchildren still treasure these unique handmade items, in particular, the little squirrels and Santas of all sizes.

The Card Gang gals took up porcelain doll-making together, attending classes and thoroughly enjoying the artistry of creating and painting the dolls and sewing their clothes. These precious keepsakes will be treasured by family members for generations to come.

In 2007 the City of Holstein was planning another big celebration and Gloria was elected to serve as president of the Quasquicentennial Commission. Planning for these community events goes on for years and Gloria was leading the effort toward the big event, to be held in June 2007, when her back pain got the best of her. She entered the hospital in January 2007 for a back surgery, and an anticipated two-week stay, which led to ultimately four back surgeries and a four-month stint in the hospital. But just in time, Gloria was released after weeks of rehabilitation, and was able to attend the big bash fully decked out in 1880s period dress, as well as an immobilizing back brace, and accompanied by many willing helpers to push her wheelchair.

Gloria made a nearly full recovery – though pain lingered and increased over time. In 2009 her dashing cowboy Bill passed away. She has missed him terribly but she cherished their 59 years of marriage and felt blessed to be able to continue to live in her own home and enjoy her friends and family, and especially the grandchildren and great-grandchildren.

In 2010-2011, Gloria put her good taste and flair for decorating to work again in helping to design and execute the remodeling of a Holstein Main Street building into today’s lovely Faith Lutheran Church. Gloria served on the original design committee and had a hand in the color scheme, floor plan, furniture and appliance selection, and participated in the painting, decorating, and altar care at Faith for as long as she was able.

Pain from arthritis and, in all, seven back surgeries, was a daily battle for Gloria the last dozen or so years of her life. But no matter how she felt, she always put up a brave front and put on her lipstick! Her daughters, granddaughters and great-granddaughters have all grown up with the “Globug” creed: “Every woman’s duty is to make the most of her personal appearance.”

Left to cherish the memories of love, learning, and so much laughter with Gloria are: three children Billee (Reas) Madsen; Mark (Sheryl) Leonard; Lori (Dennis) Reyman; eight grandchildren Jennifer (Luke) Ouellette; Amanda Madsen; Emily (Marc) Melody; Erin Leonard; Ember (Ross) Muhlbauer; Denae (Adam) Dieatrick; Austin (Kristin) Leonard; and Garrett (Elizabeth) Reyman; 20 great-grandchildren Abigail, Emma Jane and Sophia Grace; Caroline and Jacob; David, Daniel, Iris and namesake Gloria aka Baby Globug; Josephine, Olivia and Calder; Audrey, William and Vivian; Hatley; Regan and Jackson; Avery and Ezra; two brothers Raymond (Madonna) Hoops and Don Hoops; many nieces, nephews and cousins primarily in Iowa and Idaho; and friend most dear, Diane Scott.

Preceding Gloria in death were her mother and father; brother Luverne Hoops (in infancy); brother Marvin (Lillian) Hoops; sister Golda (Remon) Bithell; brother Harold (LaVonne) Hoops; and sister-in-law Joelle Hoops.

Gloria married the youngest of the Leonard clan of 10 brothers and sisters all born in rural Holstein in the early 1900s and was the last surviving member among: Abraham (Grace) Leonard; Arnold (Marvel) Leonard; Jesse (Laurel) Leonard; Viola (Nick) Sinns; Elvin (Irene) Leonard; Ransom (Evelyn) Leonard; Mary (Alexander) Conover; Maurice (Lillian) Leonard; George (Dolores) Leonard; and William (Gloria) Leonard.

Gloria wishes to thank the truly considerate and caring nursing and aide staff at CRMC, especially Meagan, Pam, Lynn, Jill and Chaplain Larry. As tender as was their care, perhaps the best medicine as her days on earth grew fewer, were the regular phone calls from the great-grandchildren.

Gloria had a little wave she gave everybody when they would leave her – whether in her younger days as she stood in the doorway or on the porch – or in her final days from her chair or bedside. It was a signature Globug “Toodle-loo” wave as she extended her arm and ruffled her long, delicate fingers. She’d tilt her head a bit and say, “Thank you so much for coming. Oh, I just appreciate it so much. Toodle-loo now.”

Let’s not say good-bye to this lovely lady, at least not just yet. Instead, let’s put on our lipstick, and our bravest smile, and give a “Toodle-loo” wave ... until we meet again.