Leona Louise Charlotte Belt
February 25, 1916 - August 09, 2011
Wall Lake, IA
Visitation: 4:00 - 8:00 P.M. Thursday, August 11, 2011 at Farber & Otteman Funeral Home, Wall Lake, IA
Funeral Service: 10:30 A.M. Friday, August 12, 2011 at Trinity Presbyterian Church, Wall Lake, IA
Interment: August 12, 2011 at Wall Lake Cemetery, Wall Lake, IA
Leona Louise Charlotte Belt, age 95, of Wall Lake died Tuesday, August 9, 2011, at Twilight Acres Nursing Home in Wall Lake, IA. Leona was born February 25, 1916, on the family farm near Yetter, the youngest child of John G. and Louisa (Brugger) Batz. She was baptized at the Presbyterian Church in Lake City. She attended school through the 11th grade in a four-room building in Yetter. Leona began high school in Lake City, graduating in 1932 at the age of 16. During her junior and senior years she earned a normal training teacher certificate, as teaching certificates were not issued until the age of 18. While waiting for her teacher training certificate to be issued, she cleaned houses for $0.60 a day and most of which was spent on music lessons taught by a local teacher. She taught school at Wild Cat School Elm Gove #8 in Yetter and schools in the Sac and Calhoun counties for 13 years. Leona furthered her education taking night and summer classes at Cedar Falls State Teachers College and Buena Vista College. She earned her Bachelor’s Degree from Buena Vista College, graduating with honors. She studied piano in Cedar Falls for two summers, eventually playing the piano for two operettas in Wall Lake, while the elementary music teacher position was vacant. She gave many piano lessons over the years and cherished playing the piano until her eyes began to fail. In July of 1968, she was awarded a Lifetime Teacher’s Certificate from the State Department of Education, no longer having to attend classes to renew her certificate. In 1945, Leona joined the Wall Lake Community School, teaching the 5th grade for 23 years and the 1st grade for 9 years. She retired in 1980 having taught for over 45 years. She was a devoted teacher and accomplished piano player.
On February 27, 1943 in Rockport, MO, she was united in marriage to Ray E. Belt of Lake View. They lived their entire married life in Wall Lake. In 1990, Ray passed away after a lengthy illness. Leona continued to live in the house they designed and built until November of 2008 when she entered the assisted living at Twilight Acres in Wall Lake.
She was a member of the Trinity Presbyterian Church in Wall Lake. Her hobbies included working in her yard and flower gardens, watching the birds with Ray, and traveling, especially to Estes Park in Colorado. Leona and Ray had visited almost every national park west of the Missouri River.
She is survived by Nette -Adopted daughter in heart- (Tom) Orness and sons from Highland Park, CO; step daughter-in-law Caroline Belt of Wall Lake, IA; cousin John Hutton from Shady Oaks in Lake City, IA; nephews: Dale Gronemeyer of Odebolt, IA, Daryl Batz of Jefferson, IA, Kenneth (Jeanne) Batz Lake City, IA, Steven (Elaine) Batz of Carroll, IA, Nolan (JoAnn) Schnuckel of Odebolt, IA, Dr. Ronald (Nancy) Batz of Spirit Lake, IA, and Verle Batz of Yetter, IA; nieces: Marlene (Leroy) Miller of Churdan, IA, Juanita Schleisman of Apache Junction, AZ, Arla (Russ) Fricke of Bemidgi, MN, and Sharon (Dave) McCaulley of Iowa Falls, IA; Ray’s youngest daughter, Irene (Robert) Crampton of Kiron, IA; step-grandchildren: William (Marsha) Belt of Aurora, CO, Wanita (Virgene) Friedrichsen of Odebolt, IA, Wanda Hawks of Sac City, IA; Wynona (Brent) Becker of Wall Lake, IA, Robert (Bridget) Belt of Carnarvon, IA, Dennis (Sandy) Meyer of Lake View, IA, David Meyer of Lake View, IA, Dr. Randy (Cheryl) Crampton of Storm Lake, IA, Rick (Carol) Crampton of Kiron, IA; and extended family members. Many friends and other survivors include Nancy (Mark) Kasubuski from Fremont, NE, special young friends include Kevin (Cindy) Fullmer of Thorton, CO, Don (Sue) Schroeder of Thorton, CO and Denny (Gae) Schroeder of Wall Lake, IA.
She was preceded in death by her parents, husband, Ray E. Belt of 47 years; brothers John T., and Paul, Richard, who died in infancy; sister Marie Schnuckel; brothers-in-law: John Schnuckel, Roy Hoxie, and Floyd Belt; sisters-in-law: Elva Batz, Daisy Batz, Dorothy Hoxie and Ethel Belt; niece Marge Gronemeyer, Donita Fricke, who died in infancy, Alice Schnuckel and twin sons Todd and Brent Schnuckel who died at birth; great nephew Neil Schnuckel who died at birth; stepsons Raymond Lee Belt and Donald Belt; stepdaughter Ruth Meyer; step son-in-law Henry Meyer; step grandson Daryl Meyer and two great step grandsons Timothy (TJ) and Michael Friedrichsen.
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