Leone M. Harms, 77, of 1925 Westchester Road, died, Sunday, August 25, 2002, at Allen Memorial Hospital. She was born June 16, 1925, in Rowley, daughter. of Leonard D. and Ruth Boardman Corkery. She married Ralph Harms on October 11, 1975 in Waterloo.
Leone was an avid reader, enjoyed fishing, golfing, entertaining, and travel. She kept young by keeping in touch with her friends and family and her involvement in many organizations. She had the ability to make each of us feel special and the many family gatherings she organized will not be the same without her.
Leone began her career after attending UNI as a teacher in Jesup for five years and later taught in Mason City for three years. In 1953, Leone began a thirty-one year career with Northwestern Bell. She was named assistant manager in Cedar Rapids in 1971 and then manager of the Iowa City office in 1972. Leone was the first female district manager in Iowa and relocated to Waterloo in 1973.
Her many community activities in Cedar Rapids, Iowa City, and Waterloo were: Adult Committee YMCA, Junior Achievement, Beta Sigma Phi, Catholic Daughters of America, Life Member of Pioneers, Goodwill Industries of NE Iowa, and PEO. Leone also served on various boards: United Community Service, Planning Commission for Cedar Rapids, United Way, Altrusa International, Iowa City and Waterloo Chamber of Commerce, St. Francis Hospital (now Covenant Medical Center), Boy Scouts, and the Sertoma Speech & Hearing Board. Leone was the first woman to be president of the UNI Foundation Board and also served on their Board of Governors. Leone volunteered at several organizations including nursing homes, hospitals, civic groups, and her church.
Survivors include: her husband, Ralph; daughters, Kathleen Harms of San Antonio, Texas, and Sandra (Ron) Zahradnik of Ely; grandsons, Ryan, Brandon, and Daniel Zahradnik; granddaughter; Margaret Harms; a brother, Leland (Pat) Corkery of Rowley; and a sister-in-law, Gladys Corkery of Rowley. She was preceded in death by her parents and a brother, Dwight Corkery.
Services will be 11:00 a.m. Thursday at St. Edward's Catholic Church in Waterloo, with burial at 3:30 p.m. in Memorial Park Cemetery, Mason City. Friends may call from 3:00-8:00 p.m. today at Hagarty-Waychoff-Grarup Funeral Service on West Ridgeway, where there will be a 4:00 p.m. Rosary and a 7:00 p.m. vigil. Visitation also at the church for forty-five minutes before services on Thursday.
Memorials may be made to the UNI Foundation Leonard D. Corkery Scholarship Fund.
Copyright Waterloo Courier, August 28, 2002, page B2.