Leona Sletto, 84, died Thursday, December 30, 2010 at Villa St. Vincent, Crookston, MN.

Funeral services will be held at 11:00 AM on Tuesday, January 4, 2011 at Salem Lutheran Church, Oklee, MN. Burial will follow in the Salem Church Cemetery.

Visitation will be held from 5:00 PM until 8:00 PM with a 7:00 PM prayer service on Monday, January 3, 2011 at Johnson Funeral Service, Oklee, MN.

Leona Karoline Sletto
Leona Karoline (Larson) Sletto was born in Garnes Township, Red Lake County, Minnesota on May 29, 1926 to Bennet Sr. and Helga (Larson) Larson. She was baptized into the Christian faith on August 8, 1926 and confirmed October 6, 1940 at Salem Lutheran Church in rural Oklee, MN. She graduated from Oklee High School on June 2, 1944.
At Salem Lutheran Church on Christmas Day 1946 Leona Karoline Larson married Martin Raynold Sletto of Gonvick, MN. They begin their married life in Jamestown, ND for about two years where her brother Donald lived with them to attend the Crippled Childrens School, then returning to Oklee, where Martin farmed in Gonvick and Oklee and ran an Electric Motor Repair shop in Oklee. In 1955 they moved to Thief River Falls where he worked as a Refrigeration and Air Conditioning Specialist for Land O Lakes. In 1959 they moved to Finland, MN where Martin worked as a Specialist on an Air Force Radar base until his death in 1963 from cancer. During those years Leona was a full time wife to her husband and mother to their five sons. After Martins death the family returned to Oklee, living on the family farm with her brothers Engvald and Donald. In 1968 Leona, with her brother Bennet, purchased the Oklee Recreation and Bowling Alley. Later she bought a home in Oklee and worked in their business until her retirement in 1994. In 2000 Leona was diagnosed with Alzheimers disease and moved to the Villa St Vincent in Crookston, MN and lived there until her death on Thursday, December 30, 2010 at the age of 84 years, 8 months and 1 day.
All of her life Leona loved music and sang at funerals, weddings and programs. She also sang with the Zionettes, a group of women who sang for many events. Leona also loved to read, to sew, to draw and to paint. She also enjoyed bowling in leagues for many years.
Over the years Leona was an active member of the Salem Lutheran Church serving on the church council, active in the Ladies Aid where she served as President, Vice President, Secretary and Treasurer and on several committees. She also served as Sunday School Superintendent, Sunday School and Release time teacher.
Leona was preceded in death by her father and mother, Bennet Sr. and Helga, her brothers Goodwin, Alvin, and Engvald, her husband Martin Sletto and her son Gregory Sletto.
She is survived by brothers, Martin Larson and his wife Edna, Alexandria, MN; Ernest Larson and his wife Artista, Chinook, MT; Bennet Larson and his wife Virginia, Oklee, MN, Donald Larson, Oklee, MN; and sisters Gunda Hegge, Ruth Neff, Elna Halle all of Oklee, MN; sons, Michael Sletto and his wife Diana, Crookston, MN; David Sletto, Milwaukee, WI; Robin Sletto and his wife Julia, Dilworth, MN; and Mark Sletto and his wife Laura, Lake Side, MT.; daughter in law Sonja (Markman) Sletto, Sioux Falls, SD; and grandchildren Adrianne (Sletto) Winger, her husband Michael and their children Lucas and Gavin, Crookston, MN; Emily (Sletto) Chapman and her husband Winston, Fort Riley, KS, Rebecca (Sletto) Aho, her husband Wilfred and their children Rienk and Gideon, Waynesville, MO, Isaac Sletto, Crookston,MN; Heather Linsteadt and her daughter Madeleine, Leonard, ND; Heidi Jo (Linsteadt)Hone, her husband Jarod and their son Zach, Lynchburg, ND; Seth Linsteadt, Jamestown, ND; Katrina Sletto, Rosemount, MN; Travis Sletto, Lake Side, MT; Danielle (Sletto) Lammi , her husband Jerod and their daughter Jaela, Sioux Falls, SD; and Melissa Sletto, Aberdeen, SD; and many nieces and nephews.
Family condolences may be sent to www.johnsonfuneralservice.com

I can do all things through Christ who strengtheneth me. Phillipines 4:13 (KJV)

The Pallbearers will be: Travis Sletto, Isaac Sletto, Mark Sletto, Robin Sletto, David Sletto, Wilfred Aho, Winston Chapman, Michael Winger
Honary Pallbearers: Timothy Cote, Dennis Martinson