Leona I. Amos

Leona I. (Dawson) Amos March 17, 1916 - Feb. 2, 2011 Leona I. (Dawson) Amos, 94, died peacefully at her home on Feb 2, 2011. She was born Mar 17, 1916 in Monango, ND as the second of 7 children born to Nellie and William Dawson. Leona grew up in the rolling plains of the Dakota's and moved with her family to Arkansas during the depression. To ease the burdens at home, Leona struck out on her own as a teenager. She worked as a governess, clerk and maid in Oklahoma City, OK. It was there she met Cole Amos who became her life partner for over 70 years. The couple relocated to Ogden, UT and later to various locations in Idaho before retiring in Payette, ID. Leona was a loving stepmother to her 4 stepchildren and mothered four children of her own. Leona often supplemented the family budget working as a retail clerk or waitress, but her main contributions were the hours of labor worked side-by-side with Cole renovating properties, operating retail outlets or bookkeeping for their family businesses. She volunteered in the elementary schools, served as a 4-H leader, sewed for family, friends and school functions and happily tromped about the countryside attending activities with her children and grandchildren. Leona delighted in her 9 grandchildren and 18 great-grandchildren and cherished her many step-grandchildren as well. All were welcome at her home which even today has a toy box filled to the brim. Cooking, gardening, reading and needle crafts were Leona's favorite pastimes. In retirement, Leona loved RVing with Cole and was quick to pack their RV for trips to the mountains or to snow bird in Arizona and Nevada. Leona is preceded in death by her spouse Cole, her son Delbert Amos, grandson Greg Covington and three siblings: Gene Dawson; Marcella Harkins and Louise Marie Dawson. She is survived by her daughters Lori Covington (Richard), Linda Wilson (Arch) and Kathy Ewert (Charles); by three siblings John Dawson, Mary Carter and Phil Dawson; as well as by her beloved grandchildren. A celebration of Leona's life will be held at Haren-Wood Funeral Chapel, 840 6th Ave S, Payette, ID on May 20, 2011 at 2pm. Her ashes will be inurned the following day at Dry Creek Cemetery, Eagle, ID.