JoAnna Leisure - Brookings

June 4, 1938 - Dec. 30, 2018

Posted

JoAnna (Jody) Mae (Cooley) Leisure, 80, of Brookings, passed away peacefully in her home on Dec. 30, 2018.  

A memorial service celebrating Jody’s life will be held on Saturday, Jan. 12, 2019, at Eidsness Funeral Home in Brookings, beginning at 10:30 a.m. A time of visitation will be held one hour prior to services at 9:30 a.m. Eidsness Funeral Home is assisting Jody’s family with arrangements.

 Jody was born on June 4, 1938, in Forest City, IA to Hugh and Adella (Hauge) Cooley. She attended school in Northwood, IA, Glenwood, MN, and graduated from Watertown High School. She married her High School sweetheart, Orie W. Leisure and they have lived in Brookings for the majority of their life together. She worked in various jobs throughout her life, but is best known for her work at The Index Stationers and Office Supply until her retirement.

 Jody was a kind and fun-loving lady, who had a unique and wonderful gift of making all who knew her...family, friends and strangers alike...feel loved and welcome. 

Most of her favorite activities include interacting with others. She enjoyed having coffee with loved ones...at her favorite cafes, or on her back patio. She was an active member of First Lutheran Church, especially in the choir and handbell choir. She was active in her community, including community music events and Aeolians Music Club. She enjoyed playing tennis, sewing, quilting and reading. But, her “first love” was tending to her beautiful gardens at her beloved Buffalo Lake. You would often see her admiring her newest blooms as the morning dew sparkled just like her beautiful eyes...with one hand on her hip, and holding a cup of coffee in her other hand ... the classic, and much beloved “Jody pose”. 

Survivors include her husband Ora (Orie) W. Leisure; her children: Derek (Nancy) Leisure of Bruce, Deiedre Leisure of Tempe AZ, Thomas (Jill) Leisure of Clear Lake IA, and Brita (Jeff) Huisken of Rapid City; seven grandchildren; Seth, Rachel, Brooke, Trent, Ryan, Mallory, and Madison, “adopted daughters” Adella and Leslie; “adopted grandchildren”; Jared, Lelia, Dustin, Barbara, Reed, Kimberly, Devin, Adam, Julia, Alex, and Samantha; 4 great grandchildren; Christian, Phinaes, Ashton, and Carter, many nieces, nephews, and a whole myriad of beloved cousins.

 She was preceded in death by her parents; her brother, Gene Cooley; her sister, Barbara Serrin and a son, William.