Therese Antoinette Leon

Therese Antoinette Leon, 86, of Aberdeen, passed away Saturday, January 25, 2014, at Avera Mother Joseph Manor in Aberdeen.

Mass of Christian Burial will be 2:00 p.m., Thursday, January 30, 2014, at Sacred Heart Catholic Church, 409 3rd Avenue SE, Aberdeen, with Father Shane Stevens, Celebrant. Burial follows at Sacred Heart Cemetery.

Schriver's Memorial Mortuary & Crematory, 414 5th Avenue NW, Aberdeen is handling arrangements.

Visitation will be 5-7 p.m., Wednesday, at the mortuary, followed by a Liturgical Wake at 7:00 p.m. Visitation continues one hour before Mass.

Memorials are preferred to Alzheimer's research.

Therese Antoinette Fleming was born on March 8, 1927, to Michael Joseph and Lillian Ellen (Coyne) Fleming in Ely, MN. Following high school graduation in 1945, Therese furthered her education at St. Mary's Notre Dame College and also at The College of Saint Teresa in Winona, MN, where she received her Bachelor's Degree. Therese completed her graduate work in piano at the New England Conservatory of Music in Boston, MA. She also taught high school English in Arcadia, WI.

Therese was united in marriage to Paul Leon on August 4, 1951, in Winona, MN. Their union was blessed with four sons and two daughters. In 1961, the family made Aberdeen their home, where Paul practiced Radiology and Therese returned to college and, in 1978, earned a degree as a Registered Nurse from Presentation College. She went on to tutor nursing students at Presentation for another five years.

Therese's love of the arts led her to become the accompanist for Johnny Cavelle Dance Studio in Aberdeen. While there, she also began studying ballet and earned the 3rd Level Cecchetti and eventually taught ballet for 13 years at Johnny Cavelle Studios and the Aberdeen City Dance Program.

Therese was a member of Sacred Heart Catholic Church where she served as a lector, organist, and CCD teacher. She was also very involved in the community, volunteering her time at the hospital as an escort and playing with many dance bands at the local nursing homes. Therese was a member of Monday Musical of Aberdeen since 1961 and also played with the "Four On The Floor" musical group.

She will long be remembered for her talents not only in music and dance, but also as a poet, author, and composer.

Blessed to have shared her life is her husband, Paul Leon of Aberdeen; her children: Mary Ellen (Robert) Hilpisch of Twin Cities, MN, Paul Joseph (Katie) Leon of Aberdeen, Alexandra (Craig) Wilkinson of Las Vegas, NV, Theodore David (Kathe) Leon of Owatonna, MN, Lawrence Michael Leon of Yankton, SD and Matthew John (Heather) Leon of Black Hawk, SD; 28 grandchildren and 15 great-grandchildren.

Therese's parents preceded her in death.