Léonne M. Thole

"Lee"

1/1/42 – 1/23/19

Léonne M. Thole passed into our Lord's hands quietly on Wednesday evening, January 23, 2019, with her husband and children surrounding her. Léonne was a caring wife, a loving mother, a dedicated grandmother, and a delighted great-grandmother. Those who knew her will remember her for her openness- in heart, spirit, and mind.

Léonne "Lee" was born in St. Anne, Manitoba, Canada and emigrated with her French-speaking family to the United States, before becoming a citizen at age 13.  Although she barely spoke a word of English, Lee graduated with her class from North High School, Minneapolis, Minnesota in 1959.  After receiving her diploma, Lee began working at Dayton's Department Store, first in a sales position and later as a fashion model. In the early 1960s, Lee met the love of her life, Gerald "Jerry" Thole, through some mutual friends. They married within 18 months of their first meeting. Among her many accomplishments, Lee was a devoted wife and a proud steward of her 57-year marriage. In addition to her four children, Chuck, Rich, Michelle, and Kristin, Lee is the grandmother of Jessika, Bennet, Nicholas, Samantha, Christopher, Briana, Erin and Richie, and the great-grandmother of Annessa, Ethan, Dalton, and Christopher. She is pre-deceased by her son Rich, her grandson Christopher and granddaughter, Jessika.

Lee was small in stature but giant in spirit. While raising their four children, Lee and Jerry moved eleven times within the four corners of the United States, yet no matter the location, Lee's home became the regular gathering place for all who knew her.  Lee was who you called when you wanted to celebrate life's accomplishments, yet she was also the one to provide a soft landing during its inevitable challenges. "Just come on over," her grandchildren remember her saying, even at 2 am. In addition to these wide-open doors, Lee maintained an open mind. She found the bright side in any person or circumstance. Lee would often say, "We need to walk the walk, not just talk the talk."  She was committed to not only finding the bright side, but also living it. Her husband, Jerry, characterized her last months as, "living in hope, believing in miracles."

In her last weeks, Lee had a continuing message to her family, it was to stick together, be a team, and be good to one another.  She was the most loyal person to her family and friends one could ever meet.  She was an advocate to all people, and found good in everyone.  As her sister-in-law wrote recently, "Together, Léonne and I laughed until we cried and cried until we laughed."  Indeed, many who knew her shared the same sentiment.

Her capacity to love, feel, and share, coupled with her commitment to optimism are Lee Thole's legacies– she taught them, and she shared them with anyone who asked.  Lee never claimed to have the right answers, but was dedicated to helping a person find the right answer within themselves. In this way, she will live on in the hearts of all who knew and loved her.

We will have a celebration of her life on February 13, 2019 at 1:30pm at Annunciation Catholic Church , 1020 Montgomery Rd, Altamonte Springs, FL 32714 . Reception with light refreshments to immediately follow.

In lieu of flowers, should friends desire, contributions may be sent to a memorial fund where the family will build a permanent structure in Léonne's honor.

https://www.gofundme.com/leonne-thole-memorial-fund&rcid=r01-154955504859-66b07fd3d9a541ae&pc=ot_co_campmgmt_w