SOLEY
Leona
On May 24, 2013, Leona died, with grace, in the Red Deer Hospice. She leaves behind her children, Susan (Brent) Henley, Shelagh (Robert) Giesbrecht, Flora Jeannie Soley (Thomas Carnegie), Bruce Soley (Catherine Owen), grand children Liam and Wren Henley, Daniel Giesbrecht, Isobel and Jack Carnegie, sister Iris (Iain) McLeod, brother David Hopkins (Edith Kinzel), sisters in law Norene Hopkins, Maureen (Greg) McFetridge and Bernice Soley, as well as a large extended family. She was predeceased by her husband of 56 years, Bill Soley, brother Trevor Hopkins, sister Betty Yusep, and parents Ivor and Margaret Hopkins Leona was born in Vermillion on October 26, 1932, spent her childhood on the farm and then in Edmonton. At the age of 13 she moved with her family to Lacombe where she met the young and handsome Bill Soley whose family had just moved to Lacombe. She molded her life around their partnership, music, community service and lifelong friends. For decades, Leona directed the St Andrew's choirs , sang in the Red Deer College Choir, among others, performed in local operettas and sang as a soloist for hundreds of church and community occasions. Before she and Bill started their family, Leona worked at the Lacombe Research Station where she made lifelong family friends. Later on she became the first Teachers' Aide in the county, and afterward became librarian for the Lacombe Junior High School where she worked until she and Bill retired. Leona was incredibly musical, artistic, loyal, gracious, beautiful, always true, strong of character, not to mention a fantastic cook and a masterful gardener. She was ever to be counted upon and will be most dearly missed. A Celebration of Life will be held at 2:00 p.m., Monday, June 3, 2013, St Andrew's United Church, Lacombe. Expressions of sympathy may be made by visiting
www.wilsonsfuneralchapel.ca
WILSON'S FUNERAL CHAPEL & CREMATORIUM, of Lacombe and Rimbey in charge of the arrangements.
403-782-3366 403-843-3388
"A Caring Family, Caring For Families"