Leona M. Scherf

Leona M. Scherf, 103, formerly of Mason City, IA, died Monday, June 1, 2015, at her daughter Margaret’s home in Chula Vista, CA. Funeral services will be held at 11:00 AM on Saturday, June 13, 2015, at the First Christian Church, 318 N. Adams, Mason City, with Rev. Norma Jean Everist and Rev. David H. Wagner Sr. officiating. Interment will take place in Memorial Park Cemetery. Visitation will be held one hour prior to the church service. In lieu of memorials, the family requests that you please pay forward Leona’s kindness and love. Leona was born April 11, 1912, in Lakota, IA, the 7th of 10 children to Charles N. and Mary M. (Wagner) Schmidt. She moved to Bancroft as a baby and attended St. John’s Parochial School. Following school, Leona moved to Mason City where she lived for 93 years. She was united in marriage to Milford L. Scherf on March 1, 1932, at the First Christian Church in Mason City. She was a member of the First Christian Church, Senior Citizens Center and AARP. Leona and Milford were active in community events. In 2004, Leona moved to California to live with her daughter. She enjoyed family events, traveling, camping and classic car shows. She was a member of 2 Hot Rod Clubs. She was an active member of the Norman Park Senior Citizen Center in Chula Vista, where she especially enjoyed playing bingo. Each year she would travel to Florida to spend several months with son, Mel and family. Leona is survived by 1 daughter; Margaret Jean Stahl and husband Clyde of Chula Vista, CA; 13 grandchildren; 25 great grandchildren and 26 great-great grandchildren; loving nieces, Marianne Chalstrom, Rachel Levine and Norma Cook Everist; special friend, Arlene VanHorn. She was preceded in death by her parents; husband, Milford L. in 1995; son, Milford M. “Mel” Scherf and wife Beatrice; great granddaughter, Alexis; 5 brothers and 4 sisters.