Leona was born in Fruita, Colorado, to Joseph and Donna Valdez. She has five sisters and one brother. Her family moved to Springville when she was two years old, and they have lived here ever since. She was a quite child, but now, in her own words, She's the most talkative of them all. She loves to talk to people (even if she doesn't know them) and make friends.
Leona won a hopscotch tournament when she was in third grade. She enjoyed playing baseball and even joined a team. Her sister said she was the most mechanical member of their family when their very wise father taught them all how to change a tire and do other things that helped keep a car going.
Leona has always enjoyed sewing, which led her to what she now does for a living. She sews drapes and enjoys being her own boss.
Leona's husband, Eldon, is from Payson, and they met through a brother-in-law. They will celebrate their 39th wedding anniversary on October 30th.
Eldon has six children from his first marriage, and he and Leona have two more. Leona was a grandmother at the young age of twenty-six! Her hobby is her twenty-nine gradnchildren. She likes to joke with them about how she got to see Frank Sinatra in concert.
Leona enjoys western books and movies (including John Wayne's movies). If she had a day to choose what she would like to do, it would be to hang out with a friend. She loves our ward and enjoys associating with our beautiful sisters as she serves as our compassionate service leader.
