Leona Clara Ferguson of Hot Springs, South Dakota passed away Friday, January 10, 2014, at Pine Hills Retirement Community. She was 96 years old.

Leona was born in Medicine Hat, Alberta, Canada on August 25, 1917, to Friedrich Gottlieb Wilhelm Bieberdorf, Jr. and Bertha (Hein). She lived in Canada, North Dakota, and South Dakota and her dad was the last to homestead in SD east of Smithwick in Hay Canyon. She attended school in Watertown, Rapid City, and 7th, 8th, and 9th grades in Smithwick where she met her future husband, Les. They were married on July 29, 1936, in Rapid City, SD. Leona spent 25 years at Smithwick and resided in Hot Springs for the past 52 years.

Leona was a homemaker for the first part of her life and raised their 5 children. She was a cook at Smithwick School hot lunch program and retired from the VA in Hot Springs after 20 plus years. She loved the outdoors and rock hunting with her husband and family. She was an active member of St. John's Lutheran Church for over 80 years. She was always surrounded by family and friends who loved her very dearly.


Survivors include her children: Frank (Sandy) Ferguson of Hot Springs; David (Pam) Ferguson of Beaverton, MI; Deanne (Glen) Reaser of Hot Springs; Betty (Tom) Woodden of Rapid City; Lauralee (John) Barton of El Paso, TX; 14 grandchildren, 24 great-grandchildren; 2 great great-grandchildren as well as many cousins, nieces, and nephews.

Leona was preceded in death by her parents; husband, Les; sisters, Elsie Stoltz, and Agnes Schamber; brothers, George and Donald.

Memorial Services will be held at 2:00 p.m., Saturday, January 18, 2013, at St. John's Lutheran Church near Maverick Jct., Hot Springs, with Pastor Dwayne Hunzeker officiating.

In lieu of flowers a memorial has been established in Leona's name to benefit St. John's Lutheran Church and sent to Frank Ferguson, 27589 Cascade Rd, Hot Springs, SD 57747.