The Free Press, Mankato, MN

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September 18, 2009

Leota Stiernagle

Leota Irene died September 16, 2009, in Springfield, MO. Funeral services will be held 3 p.m. today at St. Peter’s Lutheran Church in New Richland. Visitation was at Freidrichs Funeral Home in New Richland.

Born July 21, 1934, in Chicago, IL, to William and Ruth Bolton Webster. In 1945, she moved with her brother, Jim, to rural Waldorf, MN to live with their uncle and aunt, William and Hazel Bolton Burmiester. She attended Waldorf Schools until 1950. She married Cecil Stiernagle July 29, 1950, in St. Mary’s Church, rural Waseca. They lived in rural Waldorf until 1952. While Cecil was enlisted in the Air Force, they lived in California, Texas and Illinois. After moving back to rural Minnesota in 1957, she raised her family while also working full-time as a federal food inspector for Stampers in Wells. She also helped her husband with farming and other businesses. In 1980, they moved to Malmo, where she finished raising her family and helped with the family propane business, sold Avon and Fuller Brush. They moved to Branson, MO, in 1995, where she did various jobs before retiring from Dixie Stampede January 2009. She loved to travel and spend time with her family and friends.

Leota is survived by 6 children, Kevin and Diane Stiernagle, Aitkin, Kathy and Merlin Maass, Pemberton, Keith and Paula Stiernagle, Belle Plaine, Karyn and Loren Kerksiek, Blackburn, MO, Kurt and Julie Stiernagle, Nixa, MO, and Karla Stiernagle and special friend Russ Philipp, Crosby. Also holding a very special place in her heart is Apryl Webster Craft of Sikeston, MO. Apryl lived in the Stiernagle household for a year in the 1970’s. Also survived by her sisters Juanita and Randolph Smith, Minneapolis and Ruth and Jerry Raskin, Newport Beach, CA; and brothers Jim and Suzy Webster, Waldorf, and Robert Webster, Nixa, MO; sisters-in-law Nathalie Besser, New Richland, and Becky (Roger) Kunst, Mankato; brother-in-law Rex Routh, Scottsdale, AZ; 26 grandchildren; 23 great-grandchildren; and 1 great-great-grandchild.

She was preceded in death by one son, Kim David and his fiance Angie Halverson; grandson, Shaun Allen Maass; brothers Paul and Bill Webster; and brothers-in-law Robert Stiernagle and Pickles Besser.

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