Funeral Mass: Tuesday, February 6th at 11:00 a.m. at St. Mary’s Assumption Catholic Church in Herndon with Rev. Gnanasekar Kulandai officiating
Rosary: A rosary will be recited Tuesday at 10:30 a.m. before the funeral Mass.
Burial: St. Mary’s Cemetery, Herndon
Visitation: Monday, February 5th from 8:00 a.m.-8:00 p.m. at the funeral home in Oberlin
Memorials: To the church or Good Samaritan Society-Decatur County, in care of the funeral home (121 N. Penn Ave., Oberlin, KS 67749)
In Loving Memory
Marcella Rose Leitner was born on March 22, 1925 in Herndon, Kansas to William J. and Anna (Hutfles) Riepl. She attended grade school for seven years at St. Mary’s Parochial School in Herndon, except for one year of country school southwest of Herndon. Marcella graduated from Herndon High School with the class of 1945. Upon graduating, she attended Marymount College in Salina, Kansas where she received her certificate in accounting and business administration. With her certificate in hand, Marcella began employment at War Assets Administration and Lowry Air Force Base in Denver, Colorado.
On May 24th 1949, she married her handsome “sailor boy” Harold Gene Leitner, son of Paul and Theresia (Wendelin) Leitner at St. Mary’s Assumption Catholic Church in Herndon. This union was blessed with three daughters, Patricia Tongish (Dave) of Newton, Kansas, Barbara Leitner (Wayne Darnell) of Farmington, New Mexico, and Donna Wilson (Steve) of Wichita, Kansas.
Marcella adored her five grandchildren, Ashley Houser (Britt) of Wichita, Kansas, Lesley Williams (Bryce) of Overland Park, Kansas, John Tongish of Newton, Kansas, Jarrett Tongish of Tokyo, Japan and Desiree Wilson of Kansas City, Missouri. Two great grandchildren, Knox Houser and Graham Williams, filled her life with joy and smiles.
Marcella was a loving and caring wife, mother, and grandma who lived for her daughters, grandchildren, and great grandchildren. Writing letters and sewing for them was a special hobby she enjoyed so much.
She was a member of St. Mary’s Catholic Church where she was baptized, confirmed, and married; the Christian Mothers Altar Society, the Ladies Auxiliary of the VFW Post #368 in Herndon, a former member of the Traer Belles in Traer, Kansas, and a parishioner of the Sacred Heart Church in Oberlin, Kansas.
Marcella is survived by her youngest brother Larry Riepl of Bremerton, Washington and numerous nieces, nephews, & friends. She was preceded in death by her husband Gene, parents William and Anna Riepl, brother Don Riepl, and sister Lucille Barenberg.
Marcella will be interred next to her beloved husband Gene of 68 years at St. Mary’s Cemetery in Herndon, Kansas.