Leona Marie Elvina Vargas

Leona Marie Elvina Vargas, the daughter of Nis Peter and Thomine Laurine Johnson Jessen, was born September 17, 1911, west of Exira, Iowa and died April 16, 2009, at the Exira Care Center at the age of 97 years, 6 months, and 29 days.
Leona was baptized February 18, 1912 and confirmed April 11, 1926, at the Exira Lutheran Church in Exira, Iowa. She attended Exira Schools, graduating with the High School Class of 1930. After graduation she taught country school. Leona was united in marriage to Orin Robson and to this union, four children were born: Philip, Myrna, Wilma, and Betty.
Leona then was a single mother working hard to raise her children. She worked doing housework for several different people. Beginning in 1956, she worked for eight years at Corls Hardware and then was appointed Exira City Clerk in 1964, where she worked for 12 years before retirement. Leona was secretary/treasurer of the Exira Chamber of Commerce, a member of the WAGs, a member of the Exira Care Center Auxiliary and was privileged to have been a member in 1998 when the group was honored by the Iowa Health Care Organization for being the 1998 Auxiliary Volunteer Group of the State of Iowa.
Leona was a member of the Exira Lutheran Church her entire life.
Preceding her in death were her parents and her brothers and sister, Elvin Jessen, Soren Jessen, Irene Mattice, and Earnest Jessen.
Survivors include her children, Phil and wife Joanne Robson of Hot Springs, AR; Myrna and husband Dwight Freeman of Lake Charles, LA; Wilma and husband Clark Pyles of Derby, KS; Betty and husband Ed Farhner of Wichita, KS; 13 grandchildren; 22 great-grandchildren; 1 great-great-grandchild; nieces, nephews, other relatives and friends.

Cemetery:
Interment will be in St. Johns Lutheran Cemetery west of Exira.

Visitation:
The family will meet friends Friday evening from 6:30 until 8:30 at Kessler Funeral Home in Exira.

Service:
Funeral services will be conducted by Pastor Kathy Wicks on Saturday, April 18, 2009 at 11:00 A.M. at the Exira Lutheran Church in Exira, Iowa.