Leona’s Obituary Leona Elizabeth Bentz Opbroek was born on March 9, 1923 to Fred Bentz Jr. and Lydia Wiedrick Bentz. She was the oldest girl in a family of thirteen brothers and sisters. At a young age she worked for several of the neighbors, mostly baby- sitting or doing small chores.
She attended the Bentz school and graduated from Fairfax High School with the class of 1941. After a year at home, she worked in Spencer, NE at the Sandberg Fashion and Beauty Shop where she managed the fashion shop for two years. She then worked for Lee and Lydia Opbroek; Ray and Leona Pistulka; Charlie and Roslain Pistulka; and Harry and Mary Smolik, who were all sisters of Robert Opbroek.
Robert Opbroek and Leona, after a three year courtship, were married on June 6, 1945 at Saint Anthony’s Catholic Church in Fairfax by Fr. Robert Dube. They lived at the Opbroek farm home for 25 years where their six children were born.
In September 1969, they sold the farm, purchased the Fairfax Café from Harry and Mary Smolik and moved into Fairfax. Robert and Leona operated the café for three years. In the fall of 1972, Robert and Leona moved their family to Gregory, SD where Robert worked for Opperman Construction and Leona worked as a cook and dishwasher at the Cove Café.
In 1975, Leona began working as a cook at Gregory High School. Eight years later she transferred to the Elementary School as head cook and retired from that position in 1991. During this time period she also worked at Gregory Healthcare Center as a cook in the dietary department three or four evenings a week.
Leona did not stay in retirement for very long. She worked at the Sewing Center in Gregory from June 1994 until it closed its doors in July 1995. Later in the summer of 1995 she began employment at Mr. G’s in Gregory and retired from there in 2001.
Due to Robert’s declining health, they sold their home in Gregory and moved to Parkview Manor apartments in Burke in June 2004. In August of 2007, Robert and Leona moved to Haisch Haus in Bonesteel, SD where she resided until moving to Silver Threads Assisted Living in Gregory in 2013. Due to declining health she moved to Avera Rosebud Country Care Center in Gregory in 2018, where she resided at the time of her death.
Leona loved spending time with her children, grandchildren and great grandchildren. In her spare time she enjoyed embroidery, quilting, dancing with friends at Carlock, and writing Santa Claus letters to her grandchildren, great grandchildren and the children of close friends. In the 35 years she “played Santa Claus”, she wrote more than 300 letters, each one by hand and personalized to every child.
After moving to Gregory, Bob and Leona met many people while dancing at Carlock Dance hall. Some people came from as far as Chamberlain, Atkinson and surrounding areas and they became lifelong friends. Leona was preceded in death by her husband Robert; her son Tony; her parents Fred and Lydia; sisters Ida Mae Frasch, Darlene Desmarais, Rose Sterns and Velda Rittel; and brothers Edwin, Alvin, Reuben.
Survivors include daughters Cheryl Clark, Gregory, SD and Dolores (Jim) Moore, Burke, SD; sons Terry (Rosemary) of Herrick; David (Lanette)of Deary, ID; Eugene of Rapid City, SD and daughter in law Sherry Opbroek (Tony)of Burke, SD; 22 grandchildren, 48 great grandchildren sisters Marge Kramer, Alice Andersen, Twila Schmidt and Patty Larsen and brother, Don Bentz of Fairfax, SD. Funeral services for will be held on Monday, January 28, 2019 at 10:00 AM at Sacred Heart Catholic Church in Burke, SD. Burial will be in the St. Joseph Cemetery, Gregory.
Visitation will begin Sunday at 6:00 PM, with a rosary at 7:00 PM at the church.
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