Leona Marie Drawl

CEDAR RAPIDS—Leona Marie Drawl, 86, of Cedar Rapids, NE, passed away peacefully on Sunday, November 27, 2022, at her daughter’s home in South Carolina.

Funeral services will be at 10 a.m. Saturday, December 10, 2022, at St. Anthony’s Catholic Church in Cedar Rapids with Reverend Mark Tomasiewicz officiating. Burial of ashes will follow at St. Anthony’s Cemetery in Cedar Rapids. Visitation will be 5-7 p.m. with a 7 p.m. vigil service Friday, December 9th at St. Anthony’s Catholic Church in Cedar Rapids. Palmer-Santin Funeral Home is serving the family.

Leona was born October 6, 1936 to Fred and Alice (Hecker) Zimmerman in Platte County, NE. After graduating from Monroe High School in 1954, she met Frank Drawl and the two were united in marriage on May 3, 1958. They joined his parents on the farm west of Cedar Rapids. In 1968, Frank and Leona took over the farm and made it a dairy farm, however, they were going to need some help. So, to this union, five little helpers were born: four sons and a daughter. Leona enjoyed everything about farm life, milking cows, gardening, canning, sewing, and raising her children. She also worked outside the home at the creamery in Newman Grove and, later, at Lindsey Manufacturing. In 1985, the couple retired from farming and worked road construction for a few years. In 2014, Leona lost her husband of 56 years and she remained on the farm raising her small herd of cows and calves, which she truly enjoyed. In 2020, she moved to South Carolina to live with her daughter.

Leona was a member of St. Anthony’s Catholic Church, St. Anthony's Altar Society, and she also taught CCD classes.

She is survived by her children, Ron (Kathleen) Drawl of Dwight, NE, Jim Drawl of Cedar Rapids, Mary Lee Robinson of Salem, SC, and Tom (Sheryl) Drawl of Lee Summit, MO; five grandchildren, Kyle and Clay Robinson and Tommy, Jordan, and Taylor Drawl; three greatgrandchildren, Maddox, Aubree, and Jaxon; sisterin- law, Karen Zimmerman of Norfolk; and a very special friend, Norman Hilmer of Hickory, NC.

She is preceded in death by her husband; son, Leo; her parents; brother, Jerry Zimmerman; in-laws, Leo and Mary Drawl; sisters and brothers-in-law, Rose (Joe) Moore and Mary Ann (Pete) Kraft.

The family wishes to send a special thank you to her loving and compassionate caregivers: Terry Fox, Wendy Golten, and Lisa Dorsey and are also grateful to Mary Beth and the entire family of Agape Hospice Care.