Leora Denison

Leora Velma Denison, 89, of Tuthill, South Dakota passed away Friday, February 21, 2025 at the Monument Hospital in Rapid City, South Dakota. Leora was born in Enduro, Nebraska on September 7, 1935, the daughter of General Lee and Neoma (Sherman) Hood. Leora grew up on her parent’s farm with her nine siblings. Leora attended most of her grade and high school in Wolbach, Nebraska. After high school graduation she attended higher education in Kearney Nebraska to become a teacher. Her first teaching job was teaching at multiple small country schools in Western Nebraska.

On May 31, 1959, Leora married her beloved husband Richard Denison in Clinton, Nebraska and they were blessed with five children.

Leora drove the Tuthill school bus for 14 years. She also worked at Lacreek and Wildlife refuge, Brown’s Café in Martin, South Dakota 4 years and Porches Sale Barn for 26 years until she retired at the age of 80. One of her favorite side jobs was cooking and preparing the cabin in Tuthill for the fall hunters for multiple years.

Leora enjoyed the annual Hood Family Reunion. She enjoyed a good sitcom like “Everyone Loves Raymond”. She was astonishing at crossword puzzles. She would also take the occasional trip to the casinos in Deadwood, South Dakota and take her winnings to spoil her two grandkids. Leora was the glue of the “Denison clan” and she will be missed dearly.

Leora is survived by her children Kristi Denison of Rapid City, South Dakota, Scott Denison of Norfork, Nebraska, Mark (Schaun Baldwin) Denison of Box Elder, South Dakota, Karla Denison of Rapid City, South Dakota, and Teresa Denison of Rapid City, South Dakota. Leora’s sisters Kelly Williams of Omaha, Nebraska, Jeanne Mathis of Gordon, Nebraska, and Marty Hall of Omaha, Nebraska. Leora’s brother Bud Hood of Neola, Iowa. And her grandson Cody Denison of Colorado Springs, Colorado and her granddaughter April Denison of Estelline, South Dakota.

Leora is preceded in death by her husband Richard Denison, 2009, her parents, her brothers Jack Hood, Karol Hood, Harvey Hood, her sister Mary Grace Harris and Leora’s twin sister Leota Frandsen.

Funeral services will be held Saturday, March 1, 2025 at 10:00 AM at Lindsay Memorial Presbyterian Church with Paster Lisa Danielson officiating. Burial will be following the funeral service.