Leah Donna McCune

Aug. 30, 1921 - Aug. 30, 2009

BENKELMAN -- Leah Donna McCune, born Aug. 30, 1921, entered into perfect rest Aug. 30, 2009, in Benkelman.

Funeral services were Sept. 2, 2009, at United Methodist Church in Benkelman with the Rev. Brian Fong officiating. Inurnment was today, Sept. 3, 2009, at 2 p.m. (MT) at the Gordon Cemetery in Gordon with the Rev. Valjean Warman from Fullerton officiating.

Leah was born to Wray and Sarah Trussel-Thompson in a sod house at Lund. Her parents homesteaded from Iowa because they received a Kincaid claim meaning if they stayed on the land for five years, they would receive 640 acres as their own property. She attended country schools graduating from Curtis High School in 1940. Leah's family made their living by selling cream. Her father was also an electrical engineer and spent his winters in Bayard running the machinery to process sugar beets to sugar.

Leah served her country as a WAAC from January to August of 1943. She served in the photo lab at Bradley Air Field, Conn. She was honorably discharged under a hardship, as she was needed back on the family ranch.

Leah left the homestead and married Dwight Keith McCune on Oct. 25, 1945. Dwight worked as a ranch hand in the Gordon area and later in Martin, S.D., serving in law enforcement. From this union came Jean Marie, a housewife; Clifford Lee, an irrigation specialist; and Terry Keith, a Chief Deputy Sheriff in Dundy County.

After graduating from Chadron State College in 1969, Leah and her husband, Dwight and their youngest son, Terry moved to Benkelman. Leah taught school for more than 20 years in Benkelman. After retiring, Leah continued to work with students at her home near the school. Her hobbies included gardening, canning and her flowers. She was well known for her bread baking abilities. She was a generous person who was not concerned with material things and went out of her way to help her neighbors.

She was preceded in death by her parents, Wray and Sarah Thompson; husband, Dwight McCune; brothers, Harold, Vern, her twin, Lee, Robert and Kenneth; and one sister, Nondas Thompson.

She is survived by her daughter, Jean (Celso) Gonzales of Scottsbluff; sons, Clifford McCune of Alliance and Terry (Judy) McCune of Benkelman; sisters-in-law, Elaine Heller of Silverdale, Wash., Darlene (Clarence) Hiller of Syracuse; brother-in-law, Virgil (Frankie) McCune of Denver, Colo.; and grandchildren, John (Leisa) Gonzales and step-granddaughter, Alexis Brandenburg of Benkelman, Kimo, Tina, Willa and Orlando Gonzales of Scottsbluff, Mary (Doug) Crichton of Grey Bull, Wyo., Nikki McCune of Alliance and Kelly (John) Brunker of Elizabeth, Colo., plus many great-grandchildren.

Memorials may be sent in care of the family to PO Box 157, Benkelman NE 69021.

Forch Funeral Chapel of Benkelman is in charge of arrangements.