Leona Lena Doenz was born April 13, 1914 at Pine City, Minnesota and was the daughter of Otto and Lena (Putz) Patzoldt,
who were of German descent. Her father was a buttermaker who later took up farming in Chengwatana Township
of Pine County.
Leona grew up with brothers Louis, Arnold, and Elmer and sisters Lydia and Florence. She attended
school at Cloverhill rural school through the 8th grade.
At the
age of 21, she was united in marriage to John Doenz on September 5, 1936 at Zion Lutheran Church in Pine City, Minnesota.
They farmed together on the “flats” east of Pine City until 1947, when they moved to a farm located west
of Pine City.
Leona was kept very busy as a farm wife, a homemaker, and mother to ten children. Always in a dress
and apron, she did everything from shocking grain to milking, raising poultry and having a large garden from which she canned
hundreds of jars of food for her family to eat during the winter months. She raised turkeys and sold them
to the Fair Store in Pine City and to merchants in the Twin Cities. Her house always smelled of fresh baked
bread, homemade jam, jellies, cakes, cookies and pies, and coffee was always made fresh at 9 a.m. and again at 3 p.m.
In later years, Leona took up crocheting and quilting to go along with the endless chore of patching. A
highly talented quilter, she made quilts for each of her children, grandchildren, and great grandchildren.
When Leona became a resident at Edgewater Assisted Living and later at Lakeside Nursing Home in Pine City, she continued
to keep her hands and her mind busy. She attended all activities at Lakeside and still had time to make
and sell a large quantity of potholders. This year, at age 94, she entered her crocheted potholders at
the Pine County Fair and was excited to receive a blue ribbon from the judges. Leona enjoyed her home at
Lakeside and was proud to be crowned Queen on Valentine’s Day this year.
Following a short illness, Leona died at Fairview Lakes Regional Medical Center in Wyoming, Minnesota on September
11, 2008. She is survived by her children Dorothy & Leo McKenzie of Braham, MN, Lorraine Schultz of
Rock Creek, MN, Jean & Jim Slade and Ernest Doenz, all of Brook Park, MN, Janet & Larry Rogers of Sault Ste. Marie,
MI, John Jr. & Marlene Doenz and Ray “Bud” & Kathy Doenz, all of Pine City, and Elmer
& Anna Doenz of Hinckley, MN; 30 grandchildren; 55 great grandchildren, four great great grandchildren; her sister Florence
Ondrick of Austin, MN; son-in-law: Lee Christiansen; many nieces, nephews, and friends. She
is preceded in death by her parents, Otto and Lena Patzoldt, husband John Doenz, Sr., daughters Leona “Sis” Christiansen
and Marie and her husband, Robert Adrian, grandchildren Allen McKenzie, Tom McKenzie, and Eric Doenz, great grandson Johnny
Christiansen, brothers Louis, Arnold, and Elmer, sister Lydia, and son-in-law Dennis Schultz..
Funeral services were
celebrated: 2 p.m. Tuesday, September 16, 2008 at the Swanson Funeral Chapel in Pine City with the Reverend Vicki VanderVegt
officiating. Music was provided by Glenna Reierson and Jennifer Hansmann. Honorary casket
bearers included Chris Slade, Dick Doenz, Jim Christiansen, and Dennis Adrian. Active casket bearers were
Steve Doenz, Doug Schultz, Roger Doenz, Ray Christiansen, Don McKenzie, and Mike Doenz with the interment in the Birchwood
Cemetery in Pine City.
