Lula Ione Russell was born on June 16, 1924 in Waukesha, Wisconsin, the daughter of Edwin (Ted) and Verna (Stanley) Russell. She moved with her parents soon after birth to Tamarack, Minnesota where her brother Lawrence was born in 1926. Soon after his birth, the family moved to Delta, Colorado where they lived until Lula was fifteen years old. They then moved to White Bluffs, Washington for a year, then back to Tamarack for a year, then back to the west coast where they lived in California and Oregon. Lula received her education in schools in Colorado, Washington, Minnesota, California, Oregon, graduating from high school in Oregon. During World War II, Lula worked at the Port of Embarkation in Seattle, Washington and at the Red Cross Office in Albany, Oregon in the secretarial field. In 1943, Lula became acquainted with Orville Leverenz through correspondence that lasted for three years before they met. Orville was an army buddy of a cousin of Lula. They met in person in August of 1945 when Lula took a trip with her Grandpa Russell back to Minnesota to visit relatives. Orville came home on furlough from Europe at that time, they were married on October 22, 1945 in Albany, Oregon and returned immediately to Bergen, Minnesota, Orville's home. Six children where born to them, Lawrence (Larry), Jane, Ramona, Daniel, Todd and Beth. In 1961, they moved to their home near Fish Lake in Christiania Township, the farm where Orville's mother had grown up. It has been a century farm for many years. After the children were all in school, Lula began working as a bookkeeper for the Windom Public School System, working there for nine years. She also worked for Althea Owen, motor vehicle licensing, and for Roger Rose Insurance. She was a longtime, dedicated member of the Bethany Lutheran Church in rural Bergen where she printed bulletins for the church for many years. Some of the special interests in her life where reading (she had an extensive library), writing, she was an inveterate letter-writer and wrote in diaries since 1937 and wrote a book of her early life for her family. She was also a steady knitter, an amateur photographer and genealogist. Lula passed away on Friday evening, December 25, 2020 at the Sunset Hospice Cottage in Worthington at the age of 96 years. Lula is survived by three daughters, Jane Leverenz of Mankato; Ramona Leverenz of Windom; Beth Bloch and her husband, Todd, of Windom; daughter-in-law, Jane Burnes of Hinckley; four grandchildren, Leva (Darrell Podvin) Leverenz, Jozie Rushmeyer, Alicia (Aries) Estrellado, and Wyatt (Mesa) Bloch; six great-grandchildren, Lyric, Harrison, Taleah, Melody, Penelope and Walker; and many nieces and nephews. Preceding Lula in death were parents; husband, Orville; three sons, Larry, Dan and Todd Leverenz; and one brother, Larry Russell. Blessed be the memory of Lula Ione Leverenz. A PUBLIC Celebration of Life Service will be held on Thursday, December 31st, at 10:30 AM at the Bethany Lutheran Church in rural Bergen with Pastor Adam Roberts officiating. Burial will take place in the Bethany Lutheran Cemetery in rural Bergen at a later date. A PUBLIC Visitation will be held on Wednesday evening, December 30th from 5:00 PM to 7:00 PM at the LaCanne Family Funeral Home in Windom and on Thursday for one hour prior to the service at the church in rural Bergen. Lula Leverenz passed away on Friday, December 25th at the Sunset Hospice Cottage in Worthington. Masks are required to attend the visitation and funeral service. The Celebration of Life Service will be live streamed on the LaCanne Family Funeral Service Facebook page on Thursday.