Leona Ruth Buwalda

Leona Ruth "Mom B" Buwalda, 90, of Hermiston and a weekly visitor to La Grande, died Oct. 19 at Rocking D Adult Foster Care Home in Hermiston.

Funeral services begin at 2 p.m. Friday at Burns Mortuary Chapel in Hermiston. Burial will follow at the Hermiston Cemetery.

Leona was born Sept. 16, 1918 to Lewis and Sadie (Dop) Johnson in Marion, Iowa. She was raised in Newton, Iowa, and graduated from high school there. On Sept. 28, 1940 she married Ernest Lee "Ernie" Buwalda. In 1949 the family moved to Los Angeles, and in 1952 they made Hermiston their home. Leona was a homemaker. After the children were grown she traveled with Ernie to livestock auctions, mostly to La Grande, and they made friends across many states. The couple attended the Intermountain Livestock Auction almost every Thursday in La Grande. Leona and Ernie were wed just shy of 60 years.

She loved to work crossword puzzles, bird watch and was an avid book reader. She enjoyed tending a beautiful rose garden.

She is survived by sons, Ron and Curt Buwalda, both of Hermiston, and Burt Buwalda of Oxbow; daughter, Barbara Christley of Hermiston; and several grandchildren and great-grandchildren. She was preceded in death by her husband, Ernie Buwalda, in 2000; parents, Lewis and Sadie Johnson; and brother, Edward Johnson.

Memorial contributions may be made to the American Diabetes Association, the American Cancer Society or to Vange John Memorial Hospice.

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