Leona Marie Skari

Leona Julia Marie Skari (Perko) age 92 passed away peacefully in her home on Thursday November 5th, 2020 surrounded by her family. A celebration of her life will occur on Saturday December 5th, 2020 at 10 a.m. at Shepherd of the Hills Lutheran Church, 7691 S. University Boulevard, Centennial, CO 80122.

Leona (Leigh) was born on January 4, 1928 to George and Marie Lux Neupauer Perko. Leigh had a twin brother (Leonard) who was born 60 minutes earlier, making Leigh the youngest of 5 children. She and Leonard were delivered in their parents’ home by their grandmother, who was a midwife. They were front page news of the Cleveland News as they were the first twins born in Cleveland in 1928. Leigh was baptized and confirmed in the Lutheran Faith at Christ Evangelical Lutheran Church. Leigh grew up in Cleveland, Ohio and attended West Technical High School. George had purchased farmland outside Ashland, Ohio and with war time concerns, they moved to the farm in 1944 where Leigh graduated from Ashland High School in 1946. Leigh started her college education at Ashland College (University) though couldn’t finish her degree as she married in 1949 and moved away.

Following her husband’s teaching career, she spent her first part of married life living in Breckenridge and Moorhead, Minnesota before finally settling in Minneapolis where her children were born. Though she was an industrious stay at home mom, she also stayed busy working part-time in hospital medical records. They moved to Littleton, Colorado 1966 where she continued to raise her children but also worked in retail and spent many years as a church secretary.

Finding herself divorced in 1977, and after a series of auto accidents, she had to re-start her career at age 55 going back to college at Arapahoe Community College taking courses in Computer Science, Accounting and Business Law. She then started a career in sales of long-distance services with LDX/Max later moving into customer service with ADT. Always a hard and award-winning worker, Leigh worked with ADT until age 74 and volunteered in Littleton Public School’s mail room until she was 87! Leigh was very concerned for her children and wanted to ensure they knew the value of working hard, were well educated and self-sufficient - - which she accomplished. She was very proud to be awarded the Parents Without Partners Parent of the year award in 1983.

Leigh loved to travel and enjoyed visiting her daughter and son when they lived in Asia and enjoyed trips to Europe, Ireland and Hawaii as well as family trips to the mountains. She very much valued time with her many friends and family and deeply loved her two grandchildren. With her age she out-lived many of her friends but made new friends at the Buck Center’s senior group, whom she missed seeing due to COVID restrictions.

Leigh is survived by her three children Patti, David (Angela), and Daniel (Meranie) and her grandchildren Christian and Miriam. She also leaves behind numerous loving relatives and friends and the family thanks those who loved and cared for her.