Official Obituary Of Leona May Ehman

Leona May Ehman, known to friends and loved ones as Lee, passed away suddenly and unexpectedly February 12, 2024 in her Hawthorne home, surrounded by her family. She was everyone's Sunshine.
Lee was born August 18, 1940 in Paterson NJ, to Leona and William Lewis. She spent a nature-filled childhood in Wayne, learning to cook, sew and crochet from her mom and graduated Wayne Valley High School. She earned her bachelor's degree from Taylor University, Indiana. Upon graduation, she worked for the National Council of Churches in NYC.
In 1964, she married the love of her life, Franz P. Ehman, and they started out in Hawthorne NJ. In 1965, they welcomed their daughter, Heidi Leona Ehman.
In 1967, Lee's husband Franz was tragically killed in an automobile accident. Now a single mother, Lee purchased her Cedar Avenue home where she and Heidi happily spent a lifetime in the town that they loved.
Lee pursued post-graduate study in Speech therapy at William Paterson College.
A single working mom, Lee held many positions. She was a substitute teacher and member of the PTO. She sold Mary Kay Cosmetics. Lee worked her way up from receptionist, to administrative assistant to office manager. She greatly enjoyed her years at OKI Telecom and later at Brown & Caldwell.
Lee was a talented voice actor who studied under David Zima. She recorded books on tape at Lighthouse for the blind in NYC. She herself was an avid reader and member of The Bergen Poets. Lee loved acting, and was on stage from her college days until retirement. She performed with the Radburn Players and NACL.
Lee was a talented gardener and an avid bird watcher. She loved the ocean. When the sun was shining, so was Lee. She loved all of her many pets, especially her cat, Casper. Lee always loved to dance, and was on the board of Parents Without Partners. Many people will fondly remember her tooling around in her yellow VW Beetle. She was a feminist and an ally.
Lee had a strong faith, beginning in Sunday School at Mountain View Gospel. Later in life, she was baptized at Pequannock Valley Baptist. For many years, Lee was an active member of Emmanuel in Ridgewood, where the highlights of her service were Christian Ed Chair and Pastoral Search. She also loved the book club and bible discussion groups. She leaves behind a community of Emmanuel members who loved her and whom she deeply loved.
Lee was predeceased by her brothers, Billy and Norman, and her dear sisters, Charlotte (Osinga) and Evelyn (Williams). She leaves behind her beloved daughter, Heidi L. Ehman, son-in-love, Joe Osborne, and adored granddaughter, Hope Ehman-Osborne. She is also survived by her sister-in-law, Doris H. Rugel, many nieces and nephews (great and great-great, as well), and the Osborne Clan, whom she cherished and who welcomed her as family.
In lieu of flowers, nothing would please my mom more than a donation to the "Lee Ehman College Fund for Hope" 112 Cedar Ave, Hawthorne, NJ 07506.