Daisy Leuning

Daisy L. Leuning, age 96, passed away  on July 17, 2019 in Kalispell, MT surrounded by her family. Daisy was born in Boone, CO on December 7, 1922 to Leonard Sears and Anna Owens. Daisy Louise (Sears) Leuning, formerly of the Yakima Valley, passed away July 17, 2019, with family by her side at Prestige Assisted Living, Kalispell, MT. Daisy was born December 7, 1922, in Boone, CO, to Lynard Sears and Anna (Owens) Sears, the oldest of five children. Daisy dearly loved her four brothers: Howard, Earl, Alvin, and Harvey. Daisy graduated from Toppenish High School, 1941, and worked in Yakima as a clerk and bookkeeper for Draper’s Department Store until 1945. Daisy met the love of her life, Stanley Leuning, on a double date with her cousin Virgie Owens and her date, Churchill Silvers. This double date resulted in matrimonies for the couples. Daisy and Stanley married August 3, 1945. They raised their sons, Vernon and Clinton, on the family fruit orchard, Buena Heights, Zillah, WA, and Daisy became a full-time homemaker and orchardist. Vernon died during the Vietnam War in 1968, and Stanley passed in 1978. The family attended many Gold Star Family functions in honor of Vernon. In 2007, Daisy moved to Kalispell, MT, and lived with her son and daughter-in-law, Clint and Lila, and remained with them until her health declined. In 2016, she relocated to an apartment at Prestige Assisted Living in Kalispell, where Daisy enjoyed her interactions with the residents and staff and took part in many activities. In Daisy’s youth, her family ranched cattle in Colorado, Arizona, New Mexico, and Washington. She shared their history of moving cattle from summer range to winter camp. She delighted us with stories of boys that she and her cousin dated who arrived on horseback to accompany them to barn dances several miles away. She was adept at fancy work, and took pleasure in knitting, crocheting, embroidering, and sewing. Daisy was known for cooking, especially comfort foods. She baked bread weekly and made the most wonderful fruit pies. Daisy was preceded in death by her parents, Lynard and Anna Sears; her son, Vernon; her husband, Stanley; three brothers, Alvin, Earl, and Howard; her father and mother-in-law, John and Inez Leuning; and, brothers and sisters-in-law: Ernest and Nona Leuning; Elwood and Doris Leuning; and, Hazel and Bill Silvers. Daisy is survived by her son and daughter-in-law, Clint and Lila, Kalispell, MT; granddaughter, Cherie (Henry) Leuning Mack, Dickinson, ND; grandson, Jarrod Leuning, Bigfork, MT; great-grandson, Austin Mack (fiancé, Mariah Jorda), Grand Forks, ND; great-granddaughter, Macy Mack, Moorhead, MN; brother and sister-in-law, Harvey and Debra Sears, White Salmon, WA; brother-in-law, Dr. R. Glenn Leuning, Toppenish, WA; sisters-in-law: Almetta Sears, Toledo, WA; Betty Sears, Mabton, WA; and, Sue Sears, Grandview, WA. Daisy is also survived by her cherished nieces and nephews. The family wants to express a debt of gratitude to the amazing staff at Prestige Assisted Living for their phenomenal care of Daisy and her family. Also, thank you to Frontier Hospice, for their compassionate care of Daisy in her last days. A visitation will be held on Monday July 22, from 5-7 pm at Valley Hills Funeral Home in Zillah, WA. Graveside service will be held Tuesday July 23, 2019, at 1PM at the Zillah Cemetery, WA, where she will be laid to rest next to her husband and son. A gathering of family and friends will follow the service at 3 PM, at J Bell Cellars Winery, 73 Knight Hill Road (former Leuning homestead), Buena Heights, Zillah, WA. To order memorial trees or send flowers to the family in memory of Daisy Leuning, please visit our flower store.