Leona M. Gibbons

Leona Mathilda Gibbons was born March 18, 1923 to Justus and Ida (Anderson) Gustafson in Laurens, Iowa on the home place. She was baptized at Mission Covenant Church in Albert City, Iowa and confirmed at the same church on August 2, 1936. She attended and graduated from Laurens High School. Leona was united in marriage to Donald Lee Gibbons on August 18, 1944 at Mission Covenant Church. To this union four children were born, Donald Jr., Annette, Rebecca, and Jeffrey. The couple farmed north of Rembrandt until 1960, then moved to Rembrandt. In 1971, Don and Leona opened the Rembrandt Food Center and ran that for many years. Leona also worked part time for the Rembrandt Diner. Leona enjoyed spending time with family and friends. She was an avid seamstress and made many clothes for her children, grandchildren and great-grandchildren. She loved to quilt and sew with her embroidery machine. She made beautiful embroidered towels. Cooking and baking was another of Leona’s loves. She always made sure everyone was well fed and there were always goodies in the freezer. Leona especially loved her coffee club that met on Mondays and Thursdays. She enjoyed hosting her coffee club on some of those Thursdays. Leona loved spending time with her family and especially loved the grandchildren and great-grandchildren being around. She is preceded in death by her husband Don; her parents; her brothers, Earl, Lowell and DeWayne Gustafson and her in-laws, Bill and Helen Gibbons. Left to cherish her memory are her children, Don Gibbons Jr. and wife Kris of Stockton, MO, Annette Hogrefe and husband Larry of Sioux Rapids, IA, Becky Christensen and husband Dewey of Sioux City, IA and Jeff and fiancé Dee of Arnolds Park, IA; nine grandchildren, Dawn Baker, Jennifer Whetstone, Cory Christensen, Jason Gibbons, Kirby Hogrefe, Wendy Christensen, Kari Swanson, Mandy Kuker and Jessica Watson; 16 great-grandchildren, Josh, Toby, Sarah, Bailey, Dillon, Maja, Caleb, Kolby, Kelsey, Mia, Crew, Macie, Anniston, Nash, Channing and Madden; her sister, Ethel Diercks; sisters and brothers-in-law, Doris Gustafson, Joyce Rowlet and Ardis Gustafson, Bill and Gail Gibbons and Roy and Janice Johnson; and many other relatives and friends.