Leona Anderson Chapin

Leona Anderson-Chapin passed away Friday, December 3, 2021 at Lakeside Health and Rehab in Pine City at the age of 104 years, 2 months and 5 days.

Leona Augusta Stockmeyer was born September 28, 1917 to John and Anna (Gross) Stockmeyer in a homesteader’s claim shanty near Chinook, Montana.  Soon after, the family came back to Minnesota.  They bought a farm (sight unseen) seven miles east of Beroun around 1922. Leona’s mother passed away when Leona was just 7 years old and her brother Wilfred was 4 years old.  The children lived with relatives in western Minnesota until their father met and married the local school teacher, Inga Miller in 1928.  Leona attended Cedar Lake School east of Beroun.

Leona left home around the age of 20 doing “day work” as she called it.  Housekeeping and living with a few different families in the area when they needed help.  While working for the Frank Hanson family (the undertaker) in Rush City, she met LeRoy Anderson at a dance.  They were married in 1941.  They rented and farmed several farms in the Rush City area.  In 1959, they purchased a farm 3 miles east of Beroun.  In 2000, LeRoy passed away.

In 2001, Leona met and married Delford Chapin.  Delford entered the nursing home in 2013 and Leona took the bus to visit him every day.  She moved from their home on Pokegama Lake Road into a senior apartment in Pine City, just 10 months before Delford passed away.  She remained in her apartment until entering the nursing home in 2018.

Leona was primarily a homemaker; sewing, mending, baking, gardening and canning.  She was amazing at “making do” or doing without during hard times.  She worked alongside LeRoy milking cows, working in the fields and cutting wood to burn.  Leona was actively involved in activities in the Hustletown Chruch, teaching sunday school, always ready to help where she was needed.  She also worked outside the family home for several years at; Rush City Bakery, Olson’s Produce, Muriel and Paul’s restaurant and Daggett’s grocery store.  She liked to work and was a hard worker.

Leona enjoyed entertaining friends and family in her home.  She especially enjoyed the girls and their families when they were home for a weekend visit. 

Leona’s 90th and 100th birthdays were celebrated; one party for the immediate family and another for extended family and friends.

Leona is survived by her daughters Kathleen (Joel) Swinborne of Bemidji and Colette (Jim) Sapp of Brooklyn Center; 8 grandchildren living in Minnesota, California, Ohio, Wyoming and Alberta, Canada; 18 great-grandchildren; her many friends that faithfully visited her at the nursing home: Jim and Kathy, Janice, Gail, Doug, Marty, Marge, Donna and LaVona, Bruce and Lori and many others.

Leona was preceded in death by her parents John and Anna Stockmeyer; step-mother Inga; husbands LeRoy Anderson and Delford Chapin; brother Wilfred (Oleene) Stockmeyer.

Pastor Bruce Thompson will officiate memorial services for Leona: 2 PM; Thursday, December 9, 2021 at the Pine City Evangelical Free Church in Pine City.  A time of visitation for friends and family will be held 1 hour prior to the service at the church. 

Funeral arrangements are entrusted to the: Funeral and Cremation Service of Pine City, Swanson Chapel
www.FuneralAndCremationService.com