Leona Theresa Kieffer (Cleary)

Bellevue, Ia. Leona T. Kieffer, 81, of Bellevue, Iowa, passed away Tuesday morning, February 24, 2015 surrounded by family, at Mill Valley Care Center, in Bellevue. A Mass of Christian Burial will be at 10:30 am, Friday, February 27 at St. Joseph Catholic Church Catholic in Bellevue, Iowa. Burial will be in the Parish Cemetery. A visitation for Leona will be from 3:00 7:00pm, Thursday evening at Hachmann Funeral Home & Cremation Service in Bellevue and again Friday morning after 9:00, at the funeral home. Leona was born August 10, 1933, in Charlotte, Iowa, the daughter of Edward and Gladys (OMeara) Cleary. She graduated from Delmer high school class of 1952 and got her nursing degree from St. Anthony School of Nursing, in Rock Island, Illinois in 1955. Leona married Carl Kieffer on April 27, 1957, in Petersville, Iowa. He passed away September 29, 2002. Leona was so proud of her nursing career, serving over 25 years at Jackson County Public Hospital in Maquoketa, Iowa. She had a gentle heart and truly enjoyed caring for other people. The proud mother of six children, Leona was a busy working mother who always had time to help out a friend or neighbor in need, and was considered a mother figure to many children in her life's journey. Her kind Irish heart and soft smile will be missed by all who knew Leona. Those left to honor her memory include her sons, Dennis (Lynn), John (Suzanne), Joe (Shelly Schwager), all of Bellevue, and Tom, of Indianapolis; daughters, Mary (Loras) Sieverding, of LaMotte, Iowa and Kathy (Tom) Davis, of Bellevue; 11 grandchildren, two great granddaughters: sisters, Betty (Gerald) Swanson, of Davenport, Iowa, Mary Jane (Joey) Sander, of DeWitt, Iowa, and Jean Watters, of Maquoketa, Iowa, sister-in-law, Lois Klotz, of St. Louis, and brother-in-law, Larry Kieffer, of Madang, Papua New Guinea, and many nieces and nephews. She was preceded in death by her parents, sisters, Patricia Krogman, Agnes Cleary, Dorothy Cleary, and brother Terrance Cleary. The family would like to extend a special thank you to the doctors, nurses, aides, and staff at Mill Valley Care Center and Mercy Hospital, as well as the Hospice staff for their care and compassion shown to Leona and family in the past few months during her illness. In lieu of flowers Leona T. Kieffer Memorial Fund has been established. Online condolences may be left for the family at www.hachmannfuneralhome.com