Irene Rose Leeson
June 6, 1945 — February 14, 2020
Irene Rose Leeson, 74, died at 5:12 p.m. on February 14, 2020, after a short illness at St. Luke’s Hospice Center, hours after transfer from the Adult Intensive Care unit. A memorial service will be held at 1:30 p.m. Saturday, February 22, 2020, at Murdoch-Linwood Funeral Home & Cremation Service in Cedar Rapids, Iowa. The family will greet friends one hour prior to the service. Entombment will take place at the Linwood Cemetery Mausoleum in Cedar Rapids.
Irene was born June 6, 1945, in Horton, Michigan, the daughter of William and Bessie Ackley. There were 9 children in the family: Mary, Bill, Robert, Alberta, Pat, Irene, Ruth, Kay, and Frank. Irene married John Leeson on November 15, 1963. She was supportive of John’s career as a systems engineer at Collins throughout his employment until he retired on October 18, 2005, after 40 years. Irene and John enjoyed traveling, spending their winters in Florida, Arizona, New Orleans, and South Padre Island, Texas, during their retirement years. For their 50th wedding anniversary they spent two weeks in Hawaii, including a seven-day cruise to all the islands. Irene wanted to visit Alaska because she had been to the rest of the states - and the only remaining major national park she wanted to visit was Glacier National Park. So, Irene and John had a trip planned for June of this year for a train trip to Seattle, an eleven-day Alaskan cruise, and a three-day stopover at Glacier National Park on the train ride back.
Irene was an avid gardener, spending many days planting and tending to flower gardens, planters, and indoor potted plants. Some of her favorite potted plants were her many Orchid varieties, including several brought back from Hawaii. In the spring the entire yard is abloom with Daffodils that John must mow around until the tops die off in the summer. She was also into painting, joining daughters and granddaughters for art classes, and several of her artworks are prominent on the walls of their home. She made many friends while exercising at the Collins Aerospace Rec. Center.
Even more passionate was Irene over family and friends. If Irene was mother and grandmother to all of those who called her so, then you would have thought that she had dozens of children.
Irene is survived by her husband of 56 years, John L. Leeson; three sons, John Michael Leeson, Thomas Melvin Leeson (wife, Bridgett (Ball) Leeson), and James Frank Leeson (wife Cindy (Kula) Leeson). The family unit includes nieces, Ramona Ratliff and Jessie (Ratliff) Sheets, who Irene and John raised from pre-teens. There are nine grandchildren, Thomas Leeson, Jr. “TJ”, Courtney (Leeson) Meyers, and Hunter Ball (Tom and Bridgett’s children); Jenny Land, Tea (Merritt) Lynch and Brittany Clemen (Ramona’s children); Nemah Sheets, Alex Sheets and Tim Sheets (Jessie’s children); seven great grandchildren. Tea has Autumn, Gabriyelle, and Ben; Nemah has 2 girls, Emma and Avah; Brittany has a son Maverick Clemen; and Courtney has one daughter, Grace Lynn Meyers.
In lieu of flowers the family asks that you make a donation to the Eastern Iowa Orchid Society or a charity of your choice. Monetary donations received will be donated to the Eastern Iowa Orchid Society in her name.
Irene was born June 6, 1945, in Horton, Michigan, the daughter of William and Bessie Ackley. There were 9 children in the family: Mary, Bill, Robert, Alberta, Pat, Irene, Ruth, Kay, and Frank. Irene married John Leeson on November 15, 1963. She was supportive of John’s career as a systems engineer at Collins throughout his employment until he retired on October 18, 2005, after 40 years. Irene and John enjoyed traveling, spending their winters in Florida, Arizona, New Orleans, and South Padre Island, Texas, during their retirement years. For their 50th wedding anniversary they spent two weeks in Hawaii, including a seven-day cruise to all the islands. Irene wanted to visit Alaska because she had been to the rest of the states - and the only remaining major national park she wanted to visit was Glacier National Park. So, Irene and John had a trip planned for June of this year for a train trip to Seattle, an eleven-day Alaskan cruise, and a three-day stopover at Glacier National Park on the train ride back.
Irene was an avid gardener, spending many days planting and tending to flower gardens, planters, and indoor potted plants. Some of her favorite potted plants were her many Orchid varieties, including several brought back from Hawaii. In the spring the entire yard is abloom with Daffodils that John must mow around until the tops die off in the summer. She was also into painting, joining daughters and granddaughters for art classes, and several of her artworks are prominent on the walls of their home. She made many friends while exercising at the Collins Aerospace Rec. Center.
Even more passionate was Irene over family and friends. If Irene was mother and grandmother to all of those who called her so, then you would have thought that she had dozens of children.
Irene is survived by her husband of 56 years, John L. Leeson; three sons, John Michael Leeson, Thomas Melvin Leeson (wife, Bridgett (Ball) Leeson), and James Frank Leeson (wife Cindy (Kula) Leeson). The family unit includes nieces, Ramona Ratliff and Jessie (Ratliff) Sheets, who Irene and John raised from pre-teens. There are nine grandchildren, Thomas Leeson, Jr. “TJ”, Courtney (Leeson) Meyers, and Hunter Ball (Tom and Bridgett’s children); Jenny Land, Tea (Merritt) Lynch and Brittany Clemen (Ramona’s children); Nemah Sheets, Alex Sheets and Tim Sheets (Jessie’s children); seven great grandchildren. Tea has Autumn, Gabriyelle, and Ben; Nemah has 2 girls, Emma and Avah; Brittany has a son Maverick Clemen; and Courtney has one daughter, Grace Lynn Meyers.
In lieu of flowers the family asks that you make a donation to the Eastern Iowa Orchid Society or a charity of your choice. Monetary donations received will be donated to the Eastern Iowa Orchid Society in her name.
To order memorial trees or send flowers to the family in memory of Irene Rose Leeson, please visit our flower store.