Estelle Joan Leinen

Estelle Joan (Busch) Leinen was born on Easter Sunday, April 16, 1922, the daughter of Lieutenant Frank (Chicago Fire Department) and Mary Alice (Glavin) Busch in Chicago, Illinois. She graduated from Providence High School with the class of 1940. She enlisted into the United States Navy Women Accepted for Volunteer Emergency Service (WAVES) on September 14, 1943, and was recruited into the service by Genevieve Sullivan, the sister of the famous five Sullivan brothers and served until her separation with an Honorable Discharge on August 6, 1946.

It was while serving that she met her future husband, Lavern P. Leinen. They united in marriage on September 14, 1946, at the St. Bartholomew's Catholic Church in Chicago. In March of 1947, they relocated to Dow City Iowa, and teamed up to concurrently oversee a large family, farm, and Leinen's Produce that bought and sold agriculture products i.e. eggs, cream, feed, and chickens from farmers in the local four county Iowa area, while raising six children, Philip, Lawrence, Mary, Vincent, Joan, and Dolores.

Estelle was a proud member of St. Mary Catholic Church, the Altar Society and the Dow City American Legion Post 444. Estelle was the key caregiver of Lavern, who suffered for 20 years from a combination of Alzheimer's and Parkinson's disease. She enjoyed watching sports, especially the Chicago Cubs, Notre Dame, Creighton and Duke. She loved reading, shopping and family pets. Above all, she cherished her Catholic faith and spending time with her family.

Estelle passed away at home on May 17, 2022, at the age of 100 years, one month and one day.

Estelle was preceded in death by her parents; husband, Lavern P. Leinen on February 6, 1998; and siblings: Francis X. Busch and Mary Camilla Glavin Rosentreter. She is survived by her six children: Phil (Joelle) Leinen of Omaha, Nebraska, Larry (Judy) Leinen of Denison, Mary (Jim) Jostes of Denver, Colorado, Vincent J. Leinen of Los Angeles, California, Joan Gould of Madison, Wisconsin, Dee (Hank) Shaw of Paso Robles, California; 14 grandchildren; 22 great-grandchildren; and many other relatives and friends.

The visitation will be held on Tuesday, May 24, 2022, with a rosary at 4:45 p.m., family greeting friends from 5:00 p.m. to 7:00 p.m., and a prayer service at 7:00 p.m. all at the Huebner Funeral Home in Denison. The Mass of Christian Burial will be at 10:30 a.m. on Saturday, May 28, 2022, at St. Mary Catholic Church in Dow City. Interment with military honors will follow at the Dow City Cemetery. Memorials may be directed to the family.