OBITUARY: Leona Moes Brown
Leona M. Moes Brown, age 95 of Rhinelander, Sunday, July 10, 2016 at Friendly Village with her family at her side. Leona was born in Birnamwood December 25, 1920, to Louis and Helena (Reissman) Behn. She attended a one room school house in Aniwa. Leona moved to Rhinelander at the age of fifteen where she lived with an uncle. She was employed at a small restaurant on Brown Street in Rhinelander. Leona was united in marriage to Bernard James Moes at St. Mary’s Catholic Church on February 22, 1941. The couple would have six children raising them in a home on Margaret Street. In 1944 Leona and Bernard purchased the Waffle Shop in downtown Rhinelander which became known as Bernie’s Waffle Shop. They owned this business until 1969 when Leona’s husband Bernard passed away. On May 19, 1973, Leona was united in marriage to Clifford Brown. Leona was employed as a Nurse’s Aide at St. Mary’s Hospital and later was employed by the Rhinelander School District working in the cafeteria. Leona enjoyed fishing, traveling, bowling, snowmobiling, playing bingo, and traveling on cruises. Leona loved being a mother, grandmother and great-grandmother and took great pride in all of her family’s accomplishments. She was a member of Nativity of Our Lord Catholic Church, V.F.W. Auxiliary, Snow Bunnies Snowmobiling Club and had been a member of a bowling league. She will be dearly missed by her children, Karen Moes of Rhinelander, Yvonne (Leonard) Carlson of Janesville, Susan (Thomas-deceased) Moes Kinnaird of Knoxville, Tenn. and Dean (Sandra) Moes of Rhinelander; step-daughter, Lauren (Craig) Warmuth of Florence; seventeen grandchildren; thirty four great-grandchildren and four great-great-grandchildren. Also surviving are nieces, nephews and other relatives and friends. She was preceded in death by her parents, husbands; Bernard Moes on September 11, 1969, and Clifford Brown on April 22, 2008, two sons; Gary Moes on April 9, 1961, Robert “Screamin Bob” Moes on November 21, 2002; step-daughter, Tonya Brown in 1973; step-son, Jeffery Brown in 1968 and son-in-law, Thomas Kinnaird in 2011. The visitation for Leona will be held on Tuesday, July 12 from 5 to 7 p.m. at the Hildebrand Russ Funeral Home. There will be a parish prayer service at 7 p.m. with Fr. Randy Knauf presiding. A second visitation will be held on Wednesday morning at Nativity of Our Lord Catholic Church (St. Mary’s site) from 10 until the 11 a.m. mass of Christian burial. Fr. Randy Knauf will be officiating. Interment will immediately follow at Nativity of Our Lord Catholic Cemetery. Memorial contributions in memory of Leona may be directed to the Alzheimer’s Association of Greater Wisconsin, 3313 S. Packerland Drive, De Pere, Wisconsin 54115. Hildebrand Russ Funeral Home & Cremation Specialists, 24 E. Davenport Street, Rhinelander, Wisconsin 54501, 715-365-4343. Celebrating lives and healing hearts. All are invited to light a candle, sign the guestbook, leave a photo or online condolence, at www.hildebrandrussfh.com
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