Leona Mae Shrider

     Leona Mae Shrider was born on Sunday, 24 January 1909 at Parker Township, Clark County, Illinois.¹ She was the daughter of Levi Shrider and Etta Blanche McCurdy. Leona married Noble Neal Grissom on 1 August 1928 at Toledo Township, Cumberland County, Illinois. Leona received a letter from her father, Levi postmarked November 1, 1941 and he died on November 1, 1941! In the letter he stated that he was having problems with his heart but was doing okay. And that he was thinking about reopening the store on Kibby Street and moving back there, that he wasn't doing very well with the store on Cole. Until the fall of 2005, Leona was still living in the home that she and Noble shared, getting much enjoyment from her flowerbeds, the books she loves to read and her family. ( She still sends birthday, anniversary and graduation cards to her 9 children and their spouses, 25 grandchildren, 46 great-grandchildren and 6 great-great-grandchildren … and Christmas cards to all her families and a multitude of other relatives and friends! This was contributed by her daughter, Lizbeth who spends every Sunday visiting with her. Leona departed this life on Saturday, 11 March 2006 at Casey, Clark County, Illinois, at age 97 years, 1 month and 15 days.

LEONA MAE SHRIDER GRISSOM
January 24, 1909 – March 11, 2006

Leona Mae Shrider Grissom left the bonds of this earth on Saturday, March 11. 2006. She was born January 24, 1909 in Oilfield, Illinois, the daughter of Levi and Etta Blanche McCurdy Shrider. Levi and Blanche and Leona’s older sister, Dorothy, came to Illinois along with Levi’s parents, William and Pheobe Spurlin Shrider, and three of his siblings, Charlie, Ellen and Erma, in late 1907. They traveled from Lima, Ohio by horse and wagon, bringing with them the family’s oil drilling equipment, to participate in the Oil Boom that had hit this area. As a young girl, Leona received Christ as her Savior and was baptized at the Casey Christian Church. She graduated from Casey High School in 1927. Leona and Noble Neal Grissom were married August 1, 1928 in Toledo, Illinois. Eleven children were born to this union. Noble preceded her in death in 1968.
     She went to work at the Ettlebrick Shoe Factory in Casey in 1949 when the youngest of their children started school. She retired in 1974 after 25 years of loyal service.
     As one can imagine with such a large household, she was an exemplary homemaker, an accomplished seamstress and an excellent cook. Her banana pudding and cinnamon rolls remain unmatched by anyone. After her retirement from the shoe factory she learned to do ceramics and to paint and spent many years enjoying both and creating ceramics and paintings for her family. She also became a traveler and was able to travel to many areas of the United States with various family members. In 1984, at the age of 75, she made her first flight across the United States to Pasadena, California to see the Newton Band play at the Rose Bowl game. Her granddaughter, Lori, was in the band and she had become an avid fan of the band and its director, Miss Dee, going to all the competitions and parades and cheering them on. She had always had a great love for reading and in her later years spent many hours absorbed in her books.
Leona’s life was spent in total devotion to her family. Until her health deteriorated in the Fall of last year her top priority for things to do was to send birthday cards to each and every child, grandchild, great grandchild and great-great grandchild, with the children’s cards containing a dollar bill. This was something she always had on her mind and never failed to do. Her family was the joy of her life and she was the joy of theirs. She was a tower of strength, a port of safety in all of life’s battles and storms that came their way. Her children count it a great blessing to have been able to return a small portion of her unconditional love and devotion by caring for her these past few years.
     Preceding her in death besides her husband and parents were: her brother, James Sylvester; her sister, Dorothy, an infant daughter, Etta Mae; an infant son, Maurice Ray; and four great grandchildren: Megan Paul, Christopher McCullough and Caleb and Jordan Hunsaker. And one great great-grandchild, Isaac Guzman. .
     Leona is survived by her children: Dorothy Jeanne and husband, Harvey Ring of Westfield, Juanita McBride of Westfield, Tom Grissom of Casey, June McCullough of Casey, Richard and wife, Joanne Grissom of Charleston, Shirley Field of Joliet, Kay and husband, Jim Hunsaker of Hidalgo, Elizabeth Richards of Robinson, and Evelyn and husband, Bill Roan of Hidalgo. Also surviving are 25 grandchildren, 47 great grandchildren and 11 great great- grandchildren.
     Leona was a very loving and caring woman and we are all very thankful to the Lord for having her in our lives as our mother and the grandmother of our children and grandchildren.
     Services will be at the Markwell Funeral Home in Casey Thursday, March 16 at 2 p.m. with Brother Bill Roan officiating. Burial will be in Casey Cumberland Cemetery. Visitation will be Wednesday, March 15, 4 to 7 p.m. at the funeral home.
     In lieu of flowers, honorariums may be made to Lincolnland Hospice or Kline Memorial Library.

To Our Mother ...
Nothing could be more beautiful than the memories we have of you.
To us you were someone special, God must have thought so too.
All our lives we will miss you, though the years may come and go,
In our hearts you will l.

Leona was laid to rest in the Casey Cumberland Cemetery, Casey, Clark County, Illinois.