Leona Helene (Hansen) Magnuson (1919 - 2001)

Born 19 Apr 1919 in Wayne, Wayne, Nebraska, United States

Ancestors

Wife of Harold John Magnuson — married 26 Dec 1972 in Wayne, Wayne County, Nebraska

Died 19 Oct 2001 at age 82 in Providence Medical Center, Wayne, Nebraska, United States

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Biography

Leona was the only daughter of the family. Leona attended a rural one room country school in school District #48 and graduated from the eighth grade on Friday, June 2, 1933. The ceremony for all the Rural Eighth Grade Graduates was held at the Gay Theatre in Wayne, Nebraska. Her father, Henry said she didn't need to get a high school education since she would probably get married and raise children.

She cleaned houses for awhile. Leona was awarded a Certificate of Achievement in Boys and Girls Club Work for the satisfactory completion of the Clothing project. The Certificate was awarded by The University of Nebraska Agriculture College Extension Service. The certificate has a raised seal that is a four leaf clover and says Achievement Seal. Leona also had three Appreciation certificates from the same group for being an assistant 4-H Leader. They were dated 1944, 1945 and 1946. She also had a large Certificate that has no date on the paper. It has a Gold 4-H seal which says Achievement Boys & Girls Club Work. The Certificate itself states: Boys' and Girls' Club Charter Awarded by United States Department of Agriculture and The University of Nebraska College of Agriculture Cooperating To Jolly Stitchers, Wayne, Nebraska in recognition of its organization as a Standard 4-H Club and its agreement to carry on demonstrations in Agriculture and Home Economics in accordance with Approved plans for Boys' and Girls' Club Work. The Certificate is signed by the secretary U.S. department of Agriculture, Governor of State of Nebraska, Director of Extension and the State Club Leader. Leona also helped her mother care for her father after his stroke in 1947 until he died.

When she and her Mother moved into Wayne in 1966 from the farm, she started a job at West Wayne Elementary School as a cook and worked at that job until she was married. Leona also quilted. Both Leona and Marie Hansen were members of sewing club which I think was called The Jolly Sewing Circle. They would meet at the members homes to help quilt. Leona made a quilt for each of her nieces and nephews when they married and baby quilts for many of the babies that came along after the marriages. The quilt she made for me (Dianne) as a wedding present, used my Grandma Hansen's handkerchiefs with the Dresden plate design. Leona was also like a mother to me and my sister Brenda for three years after our Mother died of cancer. Leona later married a widow named Harold Magnuson. They lived in Leona's house in Wayne. He had been married to Leona's cousin Helen Carolina Miller. They were a happy couple. Leona continued to live in that house after Harold died.

Leona was diagnosed with stomach cancer and the cancer eventually caused her death. She is buried in Greenwood Cemetery in Wayne, Nebraska. Leona left me a large envelope after she died. The envelope contained some of her report cards, various certificates and 4-H booklets. There also was a photograph inside her 8th Grade Graduation program. I recognize her parents and a few siblings in the picture, but I don't know who the rest of the people are in the photo. ^[1]

Sources

• Hansen Family Tree
• personal memories.
• Archives.com, 1930 US Census, Wilber Precinct, Wayne, Nebraska
• 4-H certificates

Footnotes

1. ↑ Entered by Dianne Echols.

Acknowledgments

Thanks to Dianne Echols for starting this profile. Click the Changes tab for the details of contributions by Dianne and others.