Leona Pflueger

Leona Elsie Pflueger, 90, of Jackson, passed away Thursday, Aug. 13, 2009 at Jackson Manor.

Leona was born April 28, 1919, near Columbus, Neb., daughter of Rudolph and Lucia Hagelman Hellbusch.

She attended St. John's Lutheran country school in Columbus. She enrolled in Capitol Beauty School in Omaha, Neb., and Santa Rosa Beauty College in California. Leona owned and operated beauty salons in Columbus and Santa Rosa and was employed in the beauty profession for a decade. She also worked at Gates Rubber Co. for one year during World War II.

Leona married Herbert Pflueger on Sept. 21, 1947, in Vancouver, Wash. They settled in Columbus for several years. They moved to California where they lived in Santa Rosa and San Diego. In 1962 the family moved to Imperial Valley, making El Centro, Calif., their home. Leona stayed active managing several rental units until retiring in 1999.

Leona was baptized, confirmed and married in the Lutheran faith. In later years she also took an interest in other denominations. She enjoyed her real estate activities and writing poetry. She moved to Missouri in 2003 and last resided at the Monticello House in Jackson.

Leona was preceded in death by her husband in 1985 and her brothers Clarence, Elton, Arlo, Alex and sister Betty Nelson, all of Nebraska.

She is survived by her daughters and sons-in-law, Judy and Richard Milan of Imperial, Calif., and Linda and James Worley of Jackson; stepsons and daughters-in-law, Ray and JoAnne Pflueger of Chapel Hill, N.C., and Gary and Jean Pflueger of San Diego; a brother and sister-in-law, Ruben and Lueva Hellbusch of Columbus; 11 grandchildren and numerous great-grandchildren, nieces and nephews.

A private service will be held in El Centro, with burial in Evergreen Cemetery.

Local arrangements by McCombs Funeral Home in Jackson.