Leona Gustin, passed away on February 28, 2022, on her 90 th birthday, at CHI St. Alexius, Bismarck.
Mass of Christian burial will be held at 9:30 am on Friday, March 4th, 2022, at Church of Corpus Christi, Bismarck. Burial will take place, at a later date this summer, at St. Lawrence Cemetery in Flasher. A livestream of the service will be available on the Church of Corpus Christi website.
Visitation will be on Thursday, from 5:00 to 7:00 pm, with a Rosary/prayer service at 7:00 pm at Bismarck Funeral Home. Visitation will continue at the church one hour prior to the Mass on Friday.
Leona was born on February 28, 1932 to Lawrence and Gertrude (Hartman) Kahl in Grant County. She graduated from the 8 th grade at Selfridge. As a teenager, she was crowned Miss Shields and then Miss Grant County at the Grant County Fair. Dad said that was where he met his queen and knew that someday he would marry her. A few years later, she married the love of her life, Paul Gustin on October 10, 1949 at St. Lawrence Catholic Church in Flasher.
They lived on the Gustin family farm near Flasher for 42 years, where they raised their 11 children. She was a member of St. Lawrence Christian Mothers and taught CCD for 11 years. Mom spent those 42 years, along with Paul, milking cows, raising chickens, pigs and working in the field as well as gardening. Her large garden provided her family with abundant produce, in which she spent many hours filling the pantry shelves with homemade preserves. She was best known for her delicious homemade bread, buns, donuts, kuchen, pumpkin pockets and desserts to keep her family fed and happy. To this day, her kids still enjoy her delicious recipes.
In 1991, they moved to Bismarck where they lived for the remainder of their lives. They spent countless hours playing cards, visiting relatives, enjoying their grandkids and were faithful members of their church community. Mom and Dad were blessed to spend 68 years together.
She is survived by their 11 children, Gary, Weatherford, Texas; Duane, Raton, New Mexico; Vernon (Rose), Trinidad, Colorado; Virginia (Albert) Dolajak, Bismarck; Brenda (Miles) Miller, Raleigh; Greg (Kayln), Loveland, Colorado; Mike, Arvada, Colorado; Mark (Suszie), Calhan, Colorado; Marie (Joe) Jangula, Bismarck; Rita (Dewey) Schulz, Mandan; Becky (Ron) Ness, Bismarck; 30 grandchildren and 34 great grandchildren with number 35 on the way; Leona’s sisters, Beverly (Harvey) Vilhauer, Montana; Delores LaDuke, Montana; Marlys (Clint) Barth, Bismarck; and numerous nieces and nephews.
She was preceded in death by her husband, Paul; her parents, Gertrude and Lawrence; her brothers and sisters-in-law, Lawrence (Lorraine); Buddy (Lorraine); and Fred Kahl; her sisters and brothers-in-law, Florence (Arnie) Metzger, Bernice (Pete) Manolovitz, and granddaughter Sophie Ness.
In lieu of flowers, Mom requested that donations be made in Leona and Paul’s honor to St. Jude’s Children’s Hospital or a charity of your choice.
To view the funeral service, please click here .