Florence Leitner

Biography

Florence was born September 4, 1916 in Frontier County Nebraska. Her father James E. Ryan of Irish immigrants. Mother, Lillian was raised in a homestead dugout near Stockville, Nebraska.

Her parents were prosperous until the depression and years of drought in 1930's. She was the middle girl of three sisters Ada approximately 10 years her senior and Betty 10 years her junior. She attended a one room country school for eight years and completed her schooling at Stockville, Nebraska graduating from High School in 1933.

She married Clifford Kenneth Crampton, May 11, 1935 at the age of 19 in Oberlin, Kansas. Shortly there after they left Frontier County with a Model A Ford pulling a camping trailer for Oregon to join Clifford's four brothers and mother who had left Nebraska earlier after having lost all their possessions to drought and depression.

Clifford was a farmer at heart and in two years returned to Nebraska with the same Model A Ford pulling a camper trailer. Clifford and Florence were tenants on three different farms from 1937 until 1950 when they bought the 160 acres where they were living and continued to live until Clifford's death on December 29, 1972. They raised three sons Kenneth, born 1938 and twins, Ronald and Rodney born 1941. They always enjoyed neighborhood gatherings or pinochle parties twice a month in a country school. Monthly was a Literary gathering where ones of the neighborhood met at a local country school and displayed their talents of music, song, readings, and skits. Another activity was Family Follies where families of the area gathered at the Bartley opera house for round dancing and square dancing. She belonged to a women's club that met in homes either quilting, embroidering, crafting for the hostess or playing 10 point pitch. Not until 1952 did REA make it possible for their introduction to television and running water. This same period brought a dam and lake only three miles away and fishing became a family pass time.

Kenneth had his Dad's farming blood and became a part of the family farm. Following his Dad's death he bought a farm near Colby, Kansas. Ronald became a notable chemistry teacher and received several awards for his techniques as a classroom teacher in the Omaha, Nebraska school systems. Rodney graduated from the school of engineering at the University of Nebraska and has been a Hydrology Engineer in California over 30 years. Florence has 7 granddaughters and 3 grandsons with 24 great grandchildren. Preceding her in death were one grandson, Martin Ray Crampton and 1 great grandson, Clay Ryan Crampton.

Following Clifford's death she moved to McCook and worked in the Burns Lab until retirement. She met Robert Leitner and they were married April 27, 1989 and lived in Oberlin, Kansas. They enjoyed traveling and visiting their children. They were active going dancing weekly. Her most enjoyable years were in this time period being financially secure and free to enjoy life. Bob died in 1996. Florence moved to Willow Ridge in McCook, Nebraska February of 2000 and to Prairie Senior Living Complex in Colby in January of 2003.
Memorials may be given in her name to the Alzheimer's Association.

Visitation will be today until 8:00 p.m. Friends may send condolences to www.carpenterbreland.com

Funeral services will be Saturday, May 2, 2009 11:00 a.m. at Carpenter Breland Funeral Home with Jerry Beckenhauer officiating. Burial will be in the Indianola Cemetery.

Friends may sign her book at the funeral home or send condolences online at www.carpenterbreland.com.

Carpenter Breland Funeral Home of McCook is in charge of the arrangements.