Leona Merle Reinke was born September 18, 1922, in Shible Township, Swift County, to Roy and Vieva (DeLong) Dopp. She was baptized at the Methodist Episcopal Church in Appleton on October 14, 1922, and was confirmed at Trinity Lutheran Church on April 11, 1954. She attended school in Appleton through the eighth grade.On February 14, 1938, she was married to Alvin Louis Reinke in Milbank, SD. Leona worked as a farm wife and also in the laundry department at Friendship Manor and the Appleton Municipal Hospital for 39 years. After this she worked with the Green Thumb program at the Appleton school for seven years. She retired when she was 75 years old.Leona liked knitting and crocheting. She made afghans, rugs, mittens, and blankets for the grandchildren. She always had a big garden and did a lot of canning and helped with the chores. She liked to play cards and marbles. She and Alvin were awesome dancers and could really "cut a rug" on the dance floor. Leona was always willing to help others, was strong willed, and always wanted to do what was right.Leona died on Tuesday morning, May 15, at Community Memorial Home in Osakis. She had attained 89 years, 7 months, and 17 days of age.She is survived by two children: Loren Reinke of Villard and Myra Hirst of Granite Falls; half-brother, Wayne Hastings, of Appleton; 15 grandchildren; 40 great-grandchildren; 6 great-great-grandchildren; and several other relatives.She is preceded in death by her parents; husband, Alvin, in May of 1966; infant daughter Marlys; daughter and son-in-law Lois and Clifford Zahnow; daughter-in-law, Carol Reinke; two brothers Lyle and Adolph Dopp; her sister Ruby Olsen; and her half-brother Lee Hastings.