On November 20th, Leola Madlyn Boone peacefully flew from her home to the very presence of Christ. She is preceded in death by her husband Donald, her parents and sisters Mary, Margaret, Catherine and Judy, and her youngest son, Richard.
She was born bright and beautiful, full of promise in August of 1935 to Manuel and Amalia Herrera. Growing up in Monte Vista Colorado with four sisters (bookended by two brothers who perished in infancy) she helped out at the family store, giggling with her sisters and loved to twirl around in beautiful, fancy dresses while attending chaperoned dances; she was an agile and natural dancer. These same attributes helped while playing the drums in high school. Leola was the first Hispanic girl to be invited to join the Girl Scouts in her town.
She was also the first person in her family to attend college, at Adams State University. Swept off her feet by the dashing, tall and confident, Donald Earl Boone, they were wed in June of 1954. While her husband expanded his auto parts business, she gave birth to four healthy children in Tucson, AZ; they grew into a strong, loving family.
Unfortunately, she became a widow at the age of thirty-seven, after-which, she managed to continue to rear four teenaged children. It’s largely thanks to our Mother, that her children were imparted with a sense of dignity, while struggling through that difficult and lean time. As Mom was gifted in so many areas, math, art, science, philosophy, etc., she never had to want for something lovely to wear. Acquiring various components at a second-hand store, she could piece together the loveliest of clothing and literally sparkle like a princess.
With her daughters attending college at the University of Colorado, Boulder, they said to her “Mom, come to college with us”. So, she did. She had a keen and curious mind, and after rearing her four children, was drawn to complete the college degree she had postponed as a young woman.
Part of her college experience included a scholarship to Cambridge University. She loved her time there. When she wasn’t sipping sherry with University Dons, or consumed in rigorous academics, she spent time exploring Europe via Eurail. On one particular adventure, she summited the Fox Glacier in New Zealand.
She returned to the States, to see to the care of her baby sister in California, purchasing a home for her and ensuring that her health care was well attended. After Judy’s passing, she enrolled at the University of California Berkeley, completing a Bachelor of Arts degree in Political Theory with Honors - very much enriched by the works of Hannah Arendt, Jean-Jacques Rousseau, among others. Such was always her bent, for as little children, my Mother read Plato and Aristotle to us instead of fairy tales, often explaining that “goodness is its own reward”.
Leola was part of a hand-picked, choice group of students to be selected to serve at the United States Department of Justice in Washington D.C. There, she worked with the Civil Rights Redistricting Division, helping to overcome discriminating voting practices and gerrymandering. She was courted by the John F. Kennedy School of Government at Harvard, being offered a full scholarship. Alas, and heartbreakingly, her health situation was starting to affect her ability to live in the Boston climate.
While at Berkeley, she worked for the Berkeley Repertoire Theatre, where she functioned as Volunteer and Concessions Manager, enjoying one of her greatest loves, live theatre, while expanding revenue for the organization. The people she worked with delighted in undertaking creative projects with her.
She was fortunate to have close friends in Sydney Australia, visiting and staying there, often. In the mid-nineties, she returned to Colorado to work at two non-profits and to enjoy her grandchildren. Additionally, she served as Council Member for nine years in the town of Mountain View, Colorado. She treasured the special privilege of being an ArtReach liason; ArtReach provided free tickets to communities - elderly and children, who might not otherwise be able to be enriched by theatre, sports games, music performances, etc.
Loving, beautiful, gracious, so very giving and generous spirited, she found these jobs afforded her an opportunity to serve and exercise her natural abilities, her values and education. And, she continued to dance, every chance she got, while enjoying rooting for Peyton Manning.
She had an irrepressible zest for life and loved being with friends, old and new, overcoming the limits of health obstacles, time and again. This, in no small measure due to her stellar partners in health, Dr. Barry Make of National Jewish Hospital and Dr. Mark Earnest of University Hospital.
She is survived by her children, Catherine Boone, Robert Boone and Lorna Rickard (Don) who will achingly miss her beyond expression, and her beloved grandchildren Molly (Devon), Joshua (Syrenity) and Alex.
We can only barely bear it, as we look forward to joining her in Heaven.
A quiet time of viewing, followed by a Rosary will be held on Thursday December 5th, 2019 at 6 p.m. to 8 p.m, at Olinger Crown Hill, 7777 W 29th Ave, Wheat Ridge, CO 80033.
Sacred celebration of life to be held on Saturday, December 7th, 2019 in the Pavillon Hall at Crown Hill. Viewing to begin at 9:30, followed by a Mass, then internment onsite.
Please join us afterward for lunch in the Reception Hall. Mom would have loved to dine under the glittering chandeliers of the Brown Palace, but family thought a close location would work better for our senior attendees.
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