Leona May Oltjenbruns

Leona May Oltjenbruns died May 11, 2025, at Regent Park Skilled Nursing Facility in Holyoke, CO at the age of 101.

Leona was born March 30, 1924 to Arthur and Esther (Nierman) Schmidt, at her Schmidt grandparents' home in Amherst. She was baptized in the Lutheran faith on April 13, 1924, and confirmed on March 21, 1937 by Rev. W. W. Wilk.

Leona attended Saint Pauls School through grade 10, and Phillips County High School at Holyoke, graduating as class valedictorian in 1941. She then attended Central Business College in Denver, and worked as a secretary at a wholesale bakery in Denver. Leona was united in marriage with Milton Oltjenbruns on June 1. 1947 at St Pauls Lutheran Church. They were married for over 71 years, and were blessed with three children: Cheryl, Kenneth, and Nolan.

Leona was active in the Amherst School Mother's Club, Amicus Club, St Pauls Ladies Aid, Women of Zion, Sorosis Club, Phillips County Museum Board, Heginbotham Library Board, and Meals on Wheels.

Milton and Leona relocated from their Amherst-area farm in 1986, and traveled extensively. They especially enjoyed square dancing and collecting depression glass. In later years, they entered the Carriage House Assisted Living Facility in 2015.

Leona was preceded in death by her husband; her parents; two brothers (Carl and Merle); one sister (Lois Schilke); son-in-law David R Schutz, and daughter-in-law Kevin Ann Henry.

She is survived by three children (Cheryl Schutz of Estes Park, Kenneth Oltjenbruns and companion Corinne Marti of Windsor, and Nolan Oltjenbruns and spouse Donald McMaster of Denver); grandson David M Schutz and spouse Margaret Tyler Schutz of Lakewood.

Leona is also survived by sister Wilma Jean Prussman of Greeley, and brother Leslie Schmidt and spouse Shirley of Rawlins, WY.

Surviving cousins include Rose Marie (Schmidt) Schaeffer of LaSalle; Betty (Leben) Brown of Golconda, IL; Doris (Schmidt) Schilke of Imperial, NE; Richard Einspahr of Holyoke; Wesley Nierman of Fort Collins; and Richard Nierman of Thornton.

Viewing will be Thursday, May 15, 4pm to 7pm, at Baucke Funeral Home in Holyoke. The funeral service will be Friday, May 16 at 10:30am at St Pauls Lutheran Church in Amherst, with Rev Kurt Hatteberg presiding. Interment will follow at the Amherst Cemetery. In lieu of flowers, the family requests that any memorial donations be earmarked for St Pauls Lutheran Church in Amherst; or Concordia Seminary in St Louis, MO; or Concordia Theological Seminary in Fort Wayne, IN.

The family wishes to thank the staff at Carriage House and Regent Park for their dedicated, loving care.

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