Leona Kemper

Leona M. Kemper, age 84 of Melrose, died Thursday, May 28, 2009 at the Melrose Area Hospital in Melrose, Minnesota.

Mass of Christian Burial will be held at 11 a.m. Tuesday, June 2 at St. Mary's Catholic Church in Melrose with Rev. Vince Lieser officiating. Interment will be in the parish cemetery.

Friends may call from 4 to 9 p.m. Monday and from 8 to 10:30 a.m. Tuesday at the Patton-Schad Funeral Home in Melrose. Parish prayers will be held at 6 p.m. followed by the Christian Mothers and Sts. Bernard and Elizabeth Council at 7 p.m. Monday evening at the funeral home.

Leona Maria Boeckermann was born April 26, 1925 in Millwood Township, Stearns County, Minnesota to William and Mary (Kerfeld) Boeckermann. She was united in marriage to Bernard "Ben" Kemper on June 13, 1946 at St. Boniface Catholic Church in Melrose. She worked at The Garland Clothing Store in Melrose for a number of years and then worked as a Laboratory Technician at Kraft Foods until her retirement in 1987. She was a member of St. Mary's Catholic Church in Melrose, Christian Mothers, and Sts. Bernard and Elizabeth Council. Leona loved spending time with her children and grandchildren. She also enjoyed crocheting and playing her electronic hand-held poker games.

Survivors include her children, William "Bill" (Mary) Kemper of Melrose, Robert "Bob" (Nancy) Kemper of Melrose, Kaye Fuchs of Melrose, and Jeff (Linda) Kemper of Big Birch Lake; 9 grandchildren and 15 great-grandchildren; brother and sister, Norb Boeckermann of El Cajon, CA, and Hilde Winter of Melrose.

Leona was preceded in death by her husband, Bernard "Ben" Kemper on October 10, 1994; parents, William and Mary Boeckermann; and brothers, Raymond, Al, and Walter "Wimpy" Boeckermann.

Serving as casket bearers will be Brian Kemper, Patrick Kemper, Melissa Budde, Melinda Kemper, Chad Kemper, Kristy Nelson, Eric Fuchs, and Lynette Johnson. Cross bearer will be Katlyn Kemper and scripture bearer will be Brittany Johnson.