Leota Catherine Silver

Leota C. Silver age 87 of Tracy, MN died Tuesday, July 3, 2012 at her home in Tracy. Services will be 11:00 AM Saturday, July 7, 2012 at Immaculate Heart of Mary Catholic Church in Currie, MN. Visitation will be from 5:00 until 7:00 PM Friday, July 6, 2012 at the Almlie Funeral Home in Tracy and continuing one hour prior to the service at the church on Saturday. A luncheon will be served immediately following the service in the church social hall. Interment will be in the Calvary Cemetery in Tracy at 2:00 PM on Saturday following the luncheon. The Almlie Funeral Home of Tracy is handling the arrangements. Leota Catherine Silver was born January 29, 1925 to Valentine J. and Katherine (Potthoff) Ruppert on the family farm south of Currie, MN, in Murray County. Some of her best memories as a child were growing up and playing with her brothers and sisters. She was baptized and confirmed in Immaculate Heart of Mary Catholic Church in Currie. Leota attended Immaculate Heart of Mary Catholic School, graduating in 1942 as Valedictorian of her class. She was a cheerleader and played the trombone in the Currie Community Band. Leota then attended St. Theresa’s College in Winona, MN, graduating in 1946 with a degree in Education and again was Valedictorian of her class. On October 9, 1948, Leota married Thomas J. Silver at Immaculate Heart of Mary Catholic Church and they made their home in Tracy, MN. Prior to her marriage, Leota taught school at Milroy High School. She took leave from teaching to raise her children, before continuing her career in the Tracy Public School system. She later became the Director of the Title I program at Tracy. Leota was a member of both St. Mary’s Catholic Church in Tracy and Immaculate Heart of Mary. She was active in her church circle group and enjoyed attending both parishes throughout the years. Leota and her husband were instrumental in the founding of the ARC program in Lyon County and dedicated much of their time to this important organization. She enjoyed playing cards, word and jigsaw puzzles, searching for arrowheads, and bird watching. Leota also loved to read, ballroom dancing with her sweetheart, Tom, and spending time with her family. After her husband’s death in 2003, Leota remained in her home until her death on Tuesday, July 3, 2012 at the age of 87. Leota is survived by her three sons, Thomas L. Silver of Glenwood, MN, John (Betty) Silver of Tracy, MN and Randy (Sande) Silver of Glenwood, MN; three daughters, Cathy Johnsen of Pequot Lakes, MN, Mary Jo (Ric) McClellan of Fargo, ND and LuAnn Silver of Fulda, MN; seven grandchildren, Elizabeth, Thomas J. II and Michael Silver, Jessica and Patrick McClellan, and Nicholas and Andrew Johnsen; one sister, Marcella Cummisky of Currie, MN; one brother, Herbert Ruppert of Currie, MN; brother-in-law, Wayne (Rosemary) Carlson of Slayton, MN; three sisters-in-law, Dorothy Ruppert of Currie, MN, Judy Ruppert of Alexandria, MN and Theresa (Ed) Hansen of Tracy, MN; nieces, nephews and friends. Her husband, Tom, infant son, Michael, grandson, Dustin Thompson and her parents, three sisters, Lil (Ray) Busch, Irma Carlson, and Julia (Wayne) Peltola, four brothers, Harold (Marcella), Raymond, Orville, and Louis Ruppert, one brother-in-law, Donald Cummisky preceded her in death.