Leona Funk, 3rd child of Abram & Maria Funk’s 4 children, was born at Waldheim, SK on Dec 6, 1937. They lived on a farm at Northvale, SK for the first 8 years of Leona’s life where she started school.

In 1946 when she was 8 years old, the family loaded livestock and belongings onto the train, and moved to Edrans, MB to a farm with a log house. Dad bought a calm, white horse that only Leona could catch on Monday mornings after the horse had her freedom on the weekend.

Leona enjoyed farm life, especially driving the old John Deere tractor, but milking cows, stooking and making hay not so much. In the morning Mom & Dad would discuss where she was needed most, inside or outside. At 10 years old she baked her first bread when mother was hospitalized at St. Boniface Hospital.

Leona attended Edrans school from grade 3 – 9. Academics were a struggle, but she enjoyed math, basketball and field day events.

Leona grew up in a Christian home where dad always took time for Bible reading and prayer with the family in the morning, Church and Sunday School on Sundays and Assiniboia Camp in the Summer, which required campers to memorize 100 Bible verses – in German. Our parents’ legacy of faith influenced Leona throughout her life.

One day in her childhood she was very afraid to die. She remembered kneeling by her bedside and received Christ’s gift of salvation. Later in her teens, she dedicated her life to Christ at an Evangelistic meeting. In her written testimony she quotes 2 Timothy 3:15; “that from a child you have known the scriptures. It is able to give you wisdom that leads to salvation through faith in Jesus Christ.” and Ephesians 2:8-9 “By grace you have been saved through faith and that not of yourselves, it is the gift of God, not as a result of works so that no one can boast”. In 1956 Leona was baptised on the confession of her faith in Jesus Christ at MacGregor Bergthaler Church.

Leona attended Elim Bible School in Altona for 3 winters and helped on the farm in the summer. In the fall of 1957, she had her first job at Jacob’s Sewing Factory in Wpg, where she pressed permanent pleats into skirts, the fashion of the day. She didn’t want to do this indefinitely so after taking a week of training, she got a job as a nurse’s aide on the rehab ward in the Municipal Hospitals in Wpg. To become a nurse, she needed to complete high school. An ideal job awaited her where evenings were free, and she was able to take night school classes to complete Grade 12. So, for the next 3 ½ years she took care of a mother, disabled by polio. Under her direction Leona cooked meals and did the housework for the family with 2 children plus caring for the mother. The 2-week summer vacation with this family at a Detroit Lakes resort every year was a special time. After completing Grade 12 by night school and 2 years at Mennonite Collegiate Institute in Gretna, Leona graduated from Grade 12 in 1965. 1966 she graduated as a Licensed Practical Nurse from St. Boniface Hospital.

Leona’s first employment as an LPN was at the Portage La Prairie Hospital for 4 years. In the fall of 1970, Leona began her 25 ½ years of employment at Brandon General Hospital, working as an LPN on various wards like medical, cardiac, rehabilitation and palliative. Nursing was a challenge but also very rewarding as she met the needs of others.

But life isn’t all work! Leona’s love for music was evident since childhood. There was always an organ or piano in our home. She could pick up and remember a tune and harmonize easily at a young age. She always noticed when someone was slightly off pitch. Throughout most of her life she sang in duets, trios, octets and choirs including here in this church, radio groups at Elim Bible School and MCI. While in Wpg she took voice lessons and sang in the Sacred Music Society Choir, a challenge she really enjoyed. Way back in time when Leona took her first organ lessons, she took the horse and buggy down the country road to Helston after school where Betty Klassen, her instructor made sure her timing was precise, so she’d be prepared to play hymns at church. Leona went on to direct the junior choir for Portage Alliance Church, picking up a car full of children with her newly purchased first car, a ’67 Plymouth. No seatbelts necessary! Later at McDiarmid Drive Church she enjoyed singing in the choir, a trio, and also led hymn sing for seniors. After retirement there was time for many musical concerts and symphonies to attend.

Leona was always interested in Missions – possibly a result of many missionaries visiting our home including Tiessen and Hoeppner cousins and the mission’s emphasis in the Alliance Church at that time. In the summer of 1965 Leona boarded the train to Golfport, Mississippi to do children’s work under a Mennonite Mission. She saw the challenges of mission work in this area. Leona was involved in Child Evangelism Fellowship by teaching 5-day Clubs one summer. For many years she planned 5-day Clubs for the city of Brandon with Sarah Dyck.

Her travels often included missions as well. She visited Alliance Mission Stations on the 1974 Orient Tour as they landed in places like Japan, Taiwan, Philippines and New Zealand. Later trips to Mexico, Guadeloupe and Northern points with NCEM Missions were all enlightening. She was a part of many missions, prayer meetings and kept up faithfully in prayer as she received their newsletters.

Holidays were a great reprieve from the exhaustion of shift work. So, Leona and friends had trips to Hawaii, Florida, Newfoundland, Churchill and the 1980 Europe tour for its concerts – castles – cathedrals – art galleries and amazing scenery in Switzerland, Austria, France, Italy, Germany and Holland. Vacations at Clear Lake, Whiteshell, Waskesiu, and Jasper Resorts were more relaxing. She enjoyed the treks along nature trails, time to read good books, and the fellowship with friends. Many road trips with Verna to SK, AB and BC to visit relatives were so special to her but Leona had to do all the driving through all the mountains and cities.

An important part of Leona’s life were family gatherings and visits with her 2 brothers and their families. She now had called her nieces and nephews her family and appreciated them so much.

During most of her working years, Leona appreciated sharing a suite with friends, the longest being Marg Falk and Sarah Dyck (now McAuley). For 9 years she lived alone in the new retirement house where Verna joined her in 1995 and stayed until the present. We were so blessed with a wonderful and caring neighborhood, with many block parties on Memorial Crescent.

Leona’s health had been declining over the last while. She suffered a severe stroke at home. For the 2 days in palliative care, she was surrounded by family. She passed away peacefully to be with her Lord and Saviour on May 15, 2026, at the age of 88 in the Brandon Regional Health Centre.

Leona is survived by her sister Verna, and nieces and nephews: Leonard (Beverly) Funk, Louise (John) Schmidt, Marlene (John) Klassen, Elenor Wall, Esther (Wayne) Warkentin, Darrell (Julie) Funk, Phyllis (Larry) Giesbrecht, Ryan Funk, Sylvia (George) Roy, Dan (Amanda) Funk and many Great Nieces and Great Nephews and their families.

Leona is predeceased by her parents, Abram & Maria Funk, Brothers Eldon and Cornie, Sisters-in-law Edna and Agatha.