Leona Hamilton

Leona Fae Hamilton was born in Montrose, CO on Sep. 17, 1943, to Walter and Lenore (Williams) Champlin of Ridgeway, CO. She was the middle of 3 children, remembering fondly times when money was scarce, but love of God and family grew in abundance. She died on December 16th from cancer. She was preceded in death by her parents, her husband Don, and her siblings Carol Owsley and Ray Champlin.
Leona grew up a Colorado rancher's daughter and met her future husband, Don Hamilton, in high school in 1958. She and Don were married on August 4th, 1963 and set a 60-year example of love and partnership for their children Sloan and Laura. Leona never lost her love for the San Juan mountains she called home as a child, but grew to think of the sandhills as the home of her heart.
Leona loved children and served as a Sunday school and VBS teacher most of her life. She also loved nature and animals, including the cattle, horses, Rottweilers, and poodles they raised on the ranch. Leona expressed her deep faith through poetry and the beautiful crochet work she gifted to others.
Leona is survived by her two children; Sloan (Colleen) Hamilton of New Hope, MN and Laura (Scott) Berndt of Lakeside, NE and her good boy Louie.
Grandchildren include: Nolan (Olaire) Hamilton of Casper, WY, SSG Tucker (Rebecca) Harris of Junction City, KS, Zane (Dayna) Hamilton of Chadron, NE, Christian Schultz of Minneapolis, MN, Colton Berndt of Lakeside, NE, Levi Berndt of Sidney, NE, Sevanna Berndt of Rapid City, SD, and Toby Berndt of Lincoln, NE as well as many grandchildren of her heart who called her "Ma".
Great-Grandchildren include: Finley Harris, Olaya Hamilton, Gunner Berndt, Eden Hamilton, and Harper Schwarting.