Longden, Leona May

It is with great sorrow that we announce the passing of our mother, Leona May Longden, on date, year.  She will be remembered for her fun-loving sense of humour and big smile.

Leona was born in Cranbrook, BC, on May 20, 1932 and grew up in Fernie, BC, where she completed her schooling and took her first job as a telephone operator with BC Telephone Co.  She attended the Salvation Army church in Fernie where she was very involved with the Girl Guides of Canada group.  The young Captain of the Salvation Army in Fernie at that time, thought she was just the right girl for his younger brother, Bert, and as it turns out, he was right. After a short courtship they were married in Fernie, BC, on August 15, 1951.  Bert and Leona lived in Claresholm, AB where their first child was born and then returned to Bert’s home town, Nelson, where they lived in the same house on Victoria Street from 1955 until recent.

Leona worked in Nelson as a telephone operator for BC Telephone Co., as well as at various businesses in town over the years but her first priority was to keep the family business, Bert’s Repair, well managed and on track.  Bert and Leona raised 4 daughters together, but she still found time to be a Girl Guide leader, Candy Striper leader, and volunteered on the boards of many not for profit organizations over the years.  She is an honorary life time member of the Kootenay Lake Hospital Auxiliary.  She was part of a bowling league, learned to golf in her 50ies and in later years enjoyed playing cards with her many friends at the Seniors Club.

Leona loved to travel and together with Bert they visited many parts of the world, travelling with numerous friends and family members. Their last big trip was to Australia and New Zealand in 2002 which was a bucket list item for Leona.

Leona was predeceased by her husband, Bertram Longden, her parents, Clark and Minnie McKenzie, her siblings, Walter (Edith) McKenzie, Grace (Joe) Haiduga, Robert (Gladys) McKenzie, Morris (Pearl) McKenzie, and Clara (Ron) Dancer.  She is survived by her four daughters, Linda (Frank Carpenter) Longden, Ruth (Harold) Schnell, Judy (Jason Grant) Longden, and JoAnne (Steve) Letkeman; her nine grandchildren, Angela Latham, Robert Latham, Leeanne Richardson, Drew Schnell, JoAnne Gregorash, Joshua Grant, Jacob Grant, Brennan Letkeman and Dani Janzen and 7 great grandchildren, nieces and nephews.

A private internment will be held in the near future at the Nelson City Cemetery.

In Lieu of flowers, donations in memory of Leona may be made to the Kootenay Lake Hospital Auxiliary.