Leona Eldridge

Leona J. (Thompson) Eldridge passed away November 2, 2011 in Bozeman at the age of 90. Leona was born January 14, 1921 in Virginia City, Montana to Herbert and Harriett Thompson, the oldest of three children. She married Lloyd Eldridge on June 23, 1941 and they lived in the Bozeman area all of their lives. She had a son Ron, daughter Jackie and two cats who were the loves of her life. Leona worked hard throughout her life. She was an excellent cook and worked in many restaurants and bakeries in the area including the Oaks Cafe, Western Caf, Snappy Service and The Shanty. Her homemade pies were highly sought after. Locals from blocks around new right when they came out of the oven and they were often gone in ten minutes. She also worked as an aid in a local rest home. Leona enjoyed cooking, sewing and crocheting. She was an avid reader until her eyesight became clouded by macular degeneration and then she listened to virtually every book-on-tape at the Bozeman Public Library. Leona was preceded in death by her parents, two younger brothers Hubert and Ben, and her husband Lloyd. Surviving relatives all living in the Bozeman area include: her son, Ron Eldridge; her daughter, Jackie (Chuck) Banta; her sister-in-law, Carol Thompson; grandchildren, Stephanie (Scott) McLaren and Ron (Melissa) Banta; and great-grandchildren, Kirk and Garrett McLaren and Cyrus Banta. A memorial service to celebrate Leona#8217;s life will be at 1:30 p.m. on Tuesday, November 8, 2011 at Dahl Funeral Chapel with interment to follow at Sunset Hills Cemetery.