Leona Ruesch

Leona Ruesch

Monroe, Utah

Our beloved mother, grandma, great-grandma, Leona Spencer Huntsman Ruesch passed away on September 20, 2015, in Richfield, Sevier, Utah. For 81 years her honesty, integrity and genuine love and service to others have blessed all who know her. She was born to Austin Jabez and Hannah Elizabeth Price Spencer in Aurora, Sevier, Utah, on August 8, 1934, as the youngest of 11 children. She spent her growing up years in Aurora and graduated from North Sevier High School as the first female student body president and as valedictorian.

She has a natural ability to be creative and enjoyed writing and presenting humorous readings. Her story telling was something her children remember fondly and have shared her stories with their own children. She wrote poetry and later became the newspaper correspondent for the Emery County Progress and The Salina Sun .

On April 2, 1953, Leona was sealed to her lifelong love Evan C. Huntsman in the Manti Utah LDS Temple. They raised their ten children and a Lamanite placement son (for 3 years) in Ferron, and Aurora. Evan passed away on November 17, 1977, which left her a widow with eight unmarried children; ages 3-22. Mom devoted her life to her family and was named Mother of the Year in 1978. In 1984 she and her three youngest children moved to Manti to live with her daughter LeAnne and her family. She married Evan Ruesch on July 18, 1989; he passed away on January 8, 1994 at which time she returned to live with LeAnne until LeAnne’s passing on June 2, 2007. She then lived with several of her other children; most recently Loraine of Monroe, Sevier, Utah.

As a devoted member of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, she served in many callings and especially enjoyed serving in the temple. She loved learning from the Book of Mormon and possessed a quiet but profound faith in and devotion to the Savior.

Leona is survived by her children: EvaLynn (Russell) Holt, currently serving in the Texas Dallas Mission; Leland E (Irene) Huntsman, Tooele; Elayne (James) Stewart, West Valley City; Loraine (Steve) Barrowman, Monroe; Lisa Beth (Roger) Atkin, Woods Cross; Leon A (Heidi) Huntsman, South Jordan; Emily Kaye (Quinton) Baran, West Valley City; and Lorilee (Taylor) Allred, Cokeville, Wyoming; son in-law Jene (Debbie) Beal, Bakersfield, California; brother, Forrest Quinn (Sharon) Spencer, Sandy; sisters-in-law: Evelyn Huntsman, Ferron; and Marjorie Spencer, Chino, California; 43 grandchildren and 56 great-grandchildren.

She is also preceded in death by her parents; children: Eric and LeAnne; and siblings: Rosalie, Austin Jabez Jr. "A. Jay," Alta, Harold Gile, Waldo Arthur, Dortha, Hyrum Lamar, Preston Neil, and Leonard Vee.

Funeral services will be held Saturday, September 26, 2015, at 11:00 a.m. at the Monroe Stake Center, 110 South Main. Friends and family may call Friday evening from 6:00 to 8:00 p.m. at Magleby Mortuary, 50 South 100 West, Richfield, and at the stake center in Monroe on Saturday 9:00-10:30 a.m. prior to services. Interment at the Aurora Cemetery. Funeral Directors: Magleby Mortuary, Richfield, Salina and Manti.