Leona M. Woodruff

Leona M. Woodruff, 91, of Rochester, died on Saturday, June 24, 2017 at Samaritan Bethany Home on Eighth. Funeral service will be at 11:00 a.m. on Thursday, June 29, 2017 at Christ Our Rock Church 3040 Stonehedge Drive NE in Rochester, with a visitation one hour before the service at church. Inurnment will be in Oakwood Cemetery at a later date. Leona Mae Woodruff was born October 13, 1925 at home in Little Rock, Iowa. She was the daughter of Ike Paul Broesder and Caroline Margaret (nee Berg) Broesder. Leona was baptized on April 8, 1939 at Zion Ev. Lutheran Church in Ihlen, MN with Pastor Alfred Everson officiating and Herman Marian Molmann serving as her sponsors. In June of 1937 Leona was confirmed in her Christian faith at Zion Ev. Lutheran Church in Ihlen, MN. Leona graduated from Pipestone High School in 1943 and went to work in the local beanery. On May 25, 1955 Leona married John Woodruff in the parsonage of the Methodist Church in Luverne, MN. The couple moved to Rochester, MN shortly after being married. For a number of years, Leona was a cook at the VFW in Rochester. In 1990 Leona and John became one the first members of Christ Our Rock Lutheran Church, Rochester. Leona was busy helping out with many projects at Christ Our Rock to help the new church get off the ground. Leona enjoyed baking, especially cookies for the children at church. Leona was preceded in death by her parents, her two brothers, Robert Broesder and Richard Broesder and her husband John, who passed away in 2000. She is survived by her cousins James Wermerskirchen of Austin, MN and Theresa Hoffmann of Rochester, MN. Ranfranz and Vine Funeral Home 5421 Royal Place NW Rochester, MN 55901 www.ranfranzandvinefh.com