Juanita Leonor Lance, age 88, formerly of Aledo, Illinois, died Thursday, January 15, 2015, at the Wapello Nursing & Rehab Center in Wapello. She was born on August 21, 1926 in Omaha, Nebraska, the daughter of Lino and Susan Odessa Root Castillo. The family moved to Kansas City, Missouri where she grew up attending Switzer Elementary School and Switzer Junior High School. In June of 1944, she graduated from Manual High & Vocational School. While in school she worked nights and weekends as a long distance operator for Southwestern Bell Telephone Company. She later was employed as a receptionist for Western Newspaper Union.
It was there she met Granville Arnold Lance and they were married on March 31, 1953 in Kansas City. They moved to Joy, Illinois until he passed away in 1982. She then moved to Vashti Village in Aledo.
She had been active in 4H and enjoyed sewing, playing bingo and the lottery and gambling. She was an original member of the Eliza Unit of the American Legion Auxiliary and had served as its president many times. She also volunteered at the VA Hospital in Iowa City.
Her family includes two daughters, Karen Kronfeldt of Wapello and Sharon & Joe Wood of Muscatine; a son, Steven Lance of Waterloo, Illinois; four grandchildren, Donny Kronfeldt, Jared Wood, Colleen Lance, and Brian Lance; and a great grandson, Taten Kronfeldt. She was preceded in death by her parents; husband; and a son-in-law, Chuck Kronfeldt. She was one of eleven children in her family.
A graveside service for cremation burial at the Rock Island National Cemetery will take place at a later date.
Memorial gifts will be given to the Churches of Mercer County Food Pantry and the Aledo American Legion.
The Dudgeon-McCulley Funeral Home in Wapello is providing the care and arrangements for Leonor Lance.
Condolences may be given and viewed at www.dudgeonmcculley.com.
