Verlee Leinen

Verlee "Lee" Ann Leinen, 66, died June 29, 2007, in Anchorage.
A memorial service is pending at Holy Cross Parish in Anchorage.
A Mass of Christian Burial was July 6, 2007, at St. Mary's Catholic Church in Portsmouth, Iowa, with the Rev. John Dorton officiating. Honorary pallbearers were Jeff Leinen, Richard Prososki, Scott Leinen and her godson from Russia, Paul. Serving as pallbearers were Brian Daoust, Roger Leinen, David Smith, John Bruck, Roger Blum and Jerry Brus. Interment was at St. Mary's Cemetery in Portsmouth.
Verlee Leinen was born April 21, 1941, to Zeno and Viola (Schwery) Leinen on a farm near Portsmouth.
After her graduation in 1959, she attended Marycrest College in Davenport, Iowa. She transferred to Iowa State University, where she graduated in 1963 with her degree in home economics. Her first teaching position was in Ottawa, Ill. She then spent time teaching in Washington, Arizona and Alaska.
Verlee worked as a recreational therapist at Harbor View Hospital in Valdez, then operated the Serendipity Gift Shop outside Valdez for several years. In 1989, she went to Prince William Sound to help with the Valdez oil spill.
She moved to Anchorage and worked for Hope Cottages. She also worked at the Anchorage School District at Bartlett High School, performing many of the same duties that she did at Hope Cottages. Verlee loved the outdoors.
She is survived by her brothers and sisters, Ursula Bruck of Portsmouth, James Leinen and his wife, Dorothy, of Denison, Iowa, Orville Leinen and his wife, Kathleen, of Panora, Iowa, Harvey Leinen and his wife, Charlotte, of Harlan, Iowa, Eunice Blum and her husband, Gilbert Loeffler, of Panama, Iowa, Mildred and her husband, Jerry Brus, of Denison, and Zita and her husband, Gaylen Smith, of Portsmouth; her brother-in-law, Mark Daoust of Atlantic, Iowa; nieces and nephews; other family members; and many friends.