Gloria Leatherberry
Gloria Joy Leatherberry passed away peacefully, Feb. 8, 2016, at the Good Shepherd Home, Watford City, N.D., where she had been a resident since March of 2015.
She was born in Ellingson, S.D. on July 8, 1926, to Mr. and Mrs. H.T. (Ted) Swanson. She was baptized and later confirmed at Garden Valley Lutheran Church. Gloria graduated from Hettinger High School in 1944.
She and Ormand Leatherberry were married on May 4, 1947 in Hettinger, N.D.
Ormand’s 40 years of employment with MDU took them from Hettinger, N.D. to McLaughlin, S.D., and finally Watford City, N.D. They enjoyed traveling over the years and Gloria was willing to join Ormand on fishing trips if she had a book to read.
Gloria always loved music and started piano lessons at the age of five. Gloria and her brother provided music for many social events while they were growing up. Through school she sang and played piano in many different music groups. While her family lived in McLaughlin, S.D. she was the church organist. In Watford City she played piano for the Rotary Club and received the Rotary Paul Harris Award from her Rotary Guys. Gloria played piano at Spring Creek Lutheran Church and for chapel at the Good Shepherd Home for over twenty years.
Family was everything to Gloria and Ormand. They loved spending time with their children and grandchildren. She always had a loaf of banana bread waiting for her grandchildren. Gloria loved hearing about their life’s adventures. Although she didn’t care for sports or care to understand them, she followed her son, Jeff, and grandson, Brad, in all of their sporting events. When her grandchildren went to college she wrote to them everyday reminding them not to eat junk food and to have fun.
Gloria loved anything to do with numbers. While in school she loved math and her love for math continued in her employment at ASCS in South Dakota, Tschetter Law Firm and First International Bank, both in Watford City. She enjoyed helping customers with any questions with their account.
Gloria was a member of the First Lutheran Church Hope Circle, where she served as the Sunshine Chairman for many years. The Watford City Women’s Club, American Legion Auxiliary, Food Pantry, Quilters at Spring Creek Lutheran Church, Birthday Club, Homemaker’s Club, and American Cancer Society Chairman. Gloria was a proud two-time cancer survivor.
Gloria is survived by her daughters, Kristel Rienzi, Lindenwold, N.J. and Celeste (David) Berg, Watford City, N.D.; also her daughter-in-law, Sylvia Leatherberry, Victoria, Texas; Grandchildren, Bethany Joy (Mike) Posl and their two daughters, Katelyn Joy and Abigail Rose; LexAnne Radcliffe and her three children, Robert, Valerie and Natalie Joy; J.C. Rienzi; Bradley (Jill) Berg and their two sons, Charlie Ormand and Theodore; and Megan Joy (Abel) Sanchez and their four children, Yolanda, Eric Scott, Abigail Joy and Marissa. She is also survived by two sisters-in-law, Helen Swanson and Audrey Lane; and two nephews and five nieces.
She was preceded in death by her husband, her son, Jeffre Scott; her parents; her brother, Francis Swanson; and her son-in-law, James Rienzi.
Gloria always liked doing anonymous acts of kindness for people. Please celebrate her life by doing a random act of kindness for someone.