Leona Kutzler

Glendive, Montana: Leona Grace Kutzler, age 65, left this earth on Thursday, March 31, 2011, at the Glendive Medical Center. Visitation will be held one hour prior to funeral services on Tuesday, April 5, 2011 at the Evangelical Church of North America in Glendive. Funeral services will be held at 10:00 A.M. on Tuesday, April 5, 2011 at the Evangelical Church of North America with Pastor Robert Canen officiating. Interment will be held in the Dawson Memorial Cemetery in Glendive. Silvernale-Silha Funeral Home of Glendive has been entrusted with the arrangements. Leona was delivered by her mother on August 30, 1945, in a car on the old highway #10 bridge by the Adam Haas Farm. She was born to Leonard and Wava (Forry) Leivestad, she joined her seven year old sister, Darlene. Four years later, another sister, Millie was born and nine years after Leona, brother Dale was born. Together they grew up on an irrigated dairy farm thirteen miles west of Glendive where they enjoyed life. Leona was raised and educated in the Glendive school system, graduating with the Dawson County High School class of 1963; she furthered her education by obtaining a one year degree from Park Business College in Denver, Colorado. She worked a short time for the Vern G. Paulson Insurance Agency in Glendive upon her return from Colorado and then began working for Montana Dakota Utilities where she began as night dispatcher and integrator operator. Subsequently her journey with Montana Dakota Utilities led her to work in Gas Measurement Accounting, Land Department and worked as a meter reader for the last thirty years of her employment, a job she particularly liked. Leona retired in February of 2008 a couple months after beginning year number forty four with the company. Leona met her first husband, Leonard (P.K./Pat) Linch on a blind date when she was a sophomore in high school and he was stationed at Glasgow Air Base. They dated for several years, becoming engaged while Leona lived in Denver. They were married on May 23, 1966 at the Methodist Church in Glendive, and to this union three children were born, two of whom survive; Kelly (Jerry) Mumper of Glendive and Kyle (Jessica) Linch of Glendive. The middle child was lost to a miscarriage. Pat preceded her in death on January 31, 2000. While attending the car show at the Cars in the Park in Glendive with her brother, Leona met her neighbor, Dick Kutzler, who was displaying the beautiful red 1940 Chevrolet he'd restored. Dick casually asked Leona if she'd be interested in riding to Beach, North Dakota some day for a sandwich; Leona said yes and it was left at that until approximately a year and half later when Dick called and said "I've never been accused of being fast but I eventually accomplish what I set out to do and so do you still want to take that ride?" Leona again said yes and to make a long story short, they were united in marriage ten months later at the Gazebo Park on Main Street in Glendive on September 19, 2009, with the immediate family attending. They honeymooned in Montana taking their 1940 Chevy and putting on a little over 1200 miles. Music was important in Leona's life and she felt privileged to be a part of the Lemon Sisters With a Twist as well as a member of Timeless Praise. She also enjoyed being a part of the worship team at the Evangelical Church. In 1996 Leona was invited to be a candidate at the Cum Christo at St. Matthew's Catholic Church in Sidney, Montana, and she always considered that a highlight and a renewal of her Christian walk. Leona attended a Step II weekend in Browning, Montana at the Church of the Little Flower and felt she was truly "home;" a few years later Leona was delighted to learn her heritage including a bit of Native American Indian, that being Cree and Chippewa. When Leona was able she liked to work at the Cum Christo and Step II weekends. Leona was a part of the Glendive and Baker Ultreya meetings when she was able to attend. Leona and the Lemon Sisters attended Women of Faith in Denver in 1999 for the first time and she also enjoyed attending those conferences at every opportunity she had. When Leona retired in 2008, she volunteered as a Court Appointed Special Advocate/Guardian Ad Litem which soon became a passion. Leona continued that service into 2010 until her health changes and she wanted to spend more time with her family. Leona was preceded in death by her parents; first husband, Pat Linch; sister, Dolly; sister, Betty; brother Jim; and brother-in-law, Dale Johnson. Survivors include her husband, Dick Kutzler of Glendive; her children, Kelly (Jerry) Mumper and Kyle(Jessica) Linch all of Glendive, and Joelle (Shane) Pattison of Geilenqirschen, Germany; sister, Mildred Green of Corpus Christi, Texas; brother, Dale (Annette) Leivestad of Baker, Montana; grandchildren, Trista (Steven) Ramsey and Amanda Mumper (Randy) of San Diego, California; Bobby Mumper of Glendive; Tara Linch of Glendive; Paige Grassman of Power, Montana; and great grandchildren, Madison and Isabella Ramsey of San Diego; also surviving her are Alice Foreman of Prairie City, Iowa; Janice Coleman of Norwich, New York; Russ Todd of Whiting, New Jersey; Ray (Jan) Foreman of Tuscan, Arizona; Larry Foreman of Glendive; Elaine Gokey (Chuck) of Tuscan, Arizona; Linda Chaplin and Debbie Connelly both of Frisco, Texas; and Gordon (Shirley)Enyart and Eunice (Bob) Jennings all of Prairie City, Iowa. Throughout her life many times Leona would state she'd like her flowers while she was alive to enjoy them and not necessarily have them at the services or the grave site. In lieu of flowers, donations are suggested to the charity of ones choice or to the Evangelical Church at 118 West Borden St., Glendive, Montana 59330; Friends of Christian Radio at PO BOX 931, Glendive, Montana 59330; or Eastern Montana CASA/GAL, Inc. at PO BOX 1234, Miles City, Montana 59301. Remembrances and condolences may be shared with the family at: www.silvernale-silhafuneralhome.com

Leona Kutzler

April 5, 2011

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Leona Kutzler

April 5, 2011

What We Do

Flowers & Gifts

Plan Ahead

About Us

Resources

Obituaries

Grief & Healing

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