Leona M. Pflepsen

Leona M. Pflepsen, 83, of St. Paul, died Thursday, April 7, 2016, at the Howard County Medical Center in St. Paul. Services will be at 10:30 a.m. Wednesday at Sts. Peter & Paul Catholic Church in St. Paul. The Revs. Rayappa Konka and Ray Kosmicki will officiate. Burial will be in the Elmwood Cemetery in St. Paul. Visitation will be Tuesday from 5 to 7 p.m. at the church, with a 7 p.m. vigil service. Peters Funeral Home of St. Paul is in charge of the arrangements. Mrs. Pflepsen was born on Aug. 20, 1932, in Mitchell, South Dakota, the daughter of Charles and Monica (Willman) Anderson. She grew up in Mitchell where she received her education and graduated for Notre Dame Academy in 1950. She then attended the Presentation School of Nursing in Mitchell. After graduating she was asked to be a clinical instructor at the nursing school. Leona's Catholic education was very important to her, having been taught by Catholic nuns for 15 years, from elementary school through college. She was united in marriage to Thomas P. Pflepsen on Sept. 19, 1955. The couple first lived in Angola, Indiana, while Tom attended college and Leona worked in nursing. They later moved to Spencer, Iowa, where Tom worked for Gambles and Leona continued her nursing career. The couple decided to own their own Gambles dealership and in 1961 chose to move to St. Paul, where they started a Gambles store, which they owned and operated until retiring in March 1997. While living in St. Paul, she continued nursing by assisting in surgery at the Howard County Medical Center and also did some home health care. Leona was a member of Sts. Peter & Paul Catholic Church and its Council of Catholic Women. She was also active in the Howard County Medical Center Auxilary, Howard County Historical Society, St. Paul Area Chamber of Commerce and had served on the board of directors at the St. Paul Senior Center. As a young woman, Leona enjoyed riding horses with her brother and even rode in local parades. She was a great storyteller, loved to visit, enjoyed hunting, feeding squirrels and birdwatching. She collected birdhouses and bobble heads and was a truly gifted casino enthusiast. Leona's faith and family were very important to her and she will be greatly missed by all who knew her. She is survived by her children and spouses, Gloria and John Jordan of Plymouth, MN, Kenny Pflepsen, Janet and Thomas Hake of Palmer, Elaine Pflepsen of New York, NY, Gerry Pflepsen and Sandy Monroe of Nebraska City and John and Veronica Pflepsen of Columbus; and one brother and sister-in-law, Lee and Rose Anderson of Spearfish, SD. She is also survived by seven grandchildren and spouses, Daniel and Ashley Hake of Palmer, Bryan Hake and his fiancee', Whitney Hester of Palmer, Kristina and Thomas Dux of Fairbury, Cassie and Joseph Weiler of Topeka, KS, Jackie Baker of Portland, OR, Steven Pflepsen of Winter Park, FL and Jordan Pflepsen and special friend, Adam Sterup of North Platte; and three great-grandchildren, Ella and Penelope Hake and Alexandra Weiler. She was preceded in death by her parents, Charles and Monica Anderson; her husband, Thomas P. Pflepsen on June 24, 2003; a son, Patrick Pflepsen; and a grandson, Carson Jordan. Memorials are suggested to the family's choice.