Thelma Lillian Leeling

Thelma Lillian Hardman-Leeling

Thelma Lillian Hardman-Leeling died Dec. 12, 1996, at the Victoria Care Center in Ventura, Calif.

She was born on May 28, 1902, in rural Sioux County, Neb. She was the eldest of 11 children born to Moses Boone and Rose Butte English Hardman. She spent all her adult life between Sioux and Dawes counties in the northwest corner of Nebraska. She was educated in the rural county schools. She married Lawrence Leeling in Harrison, Neb., Oct. 9, 1920. They made their living farming and ranching on land they owned near Harrison. They raised six children on the family farm, sons Gordon, Roy, Cliff, Donald and Wendell; and daughter June. Poor health forced Lawrence to give up farming, and they moved into Harrison in the fall of 1954. She was baptized into the Adventist Church in May of 1959 at Hemmingford, Neb. She was a strong Christian and remained active in the church until she became ill. She lost her husband of 35 years on Sept. 30, 1955. She came to Oxnard, Calif., to be near her daughter and family in August of 1959.

She returned to Nebraska many times to visit family and friends but made her home in California after her husband's death. She moved to Ventura Estates in September of 1992, where she resided until she suffered a light stroke in April 1996. She entered Victoria Care Center in Ventura April 15, 1996, where she remained until her death. She had the proud honor of having her husband and all five of her sons serve the country in the military.

Creating beautiful crafts with her hands was her favorite past time, and we know she is in Heaven crafting with the angels now.

She was preceded in death by her husband and all of her sons. Survivors include her daughter and son-in-law June and Jim Martin, of Oxnard,; daughters-in-law Wanda of Casper, Vera of Lusk, Donna of Cahokia, Ill., Carol of Littleton, Colo., and Dorothy of Lusk; sisters Evelyn Harkness of Gothenberg, Neb., and Nina Swan of Phoemix, Ariz.; brothers Robert Hardman of Craig, Colo., and John Hardman of Casper; 12 grandchildren; 27 great-grandchildren; two great-great grandchildren; and numerous other relatives and friends.

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