Leona Mae Tokos

Leona Mae Tokos Leona Mae Tokos, age 84, passed away quietly Friday, October 11, 2013. Leona shared her final years close to family and friends, who remained with her during her final days. She is survived by her three children—Mike Tokos, Diana Greene, and Laura Boad, along with grandchildren and great grandchildren. Leona was raised in Hoquiam, and later Seattle, Washington, and was a childhood friend of her future husband, Harry, as their mothers were good friends. Leona and her sister, Babe, have special memories of spending time with their cousins, Sharlene and Maxine, in Forks on the Olympic Peninsula. As a teenager, she moved to Seattle and worked in retail while completing her high school education. After her school years, during World War II, she enjoyed time with her mother, Florence Stiffler (Sue), and sister, Gloria (Babe), having friends over, and going out dancing at the servicemen’s clubs. Leona married Harry and raised their three children at Bayshore on Oakland Bay, near Shelton. They enjoyed the Bayshore community, swimming and boating, card game and dinner clubs with other couples in the Shelton area, and trips to Reno for gambling and shows. Family summer vacations were spent traveling Washington and Oregon, and usually involved horseback riding. Through the years, Leona’s other favorite pastimes included knitting and crocheting, painting, selling her hand-made items at bazaars, trying new recipes, clam digging at the ocean, motor-homing, fishing, and always having a good book going. She enjoyed mysteries, romance novels, books on ancient civilizations, and reading about spirituality and the afterlife. Along with raising the children, Leona worked at Harry’s Optometry office, owned and ran the Bayshore grocery with her mother, and kept books for various businesses. Harry and Leona eventually moved from Bayshore to Olympia where they worked, retired, and spent time with family. Grandkids looked forward to spending the night with Grandma Muggy (Leona), playing card games and just basically being spoiled. Harry and Leona spent 59 years together, and Leona said, “I was always very fond of that man,” who she referred to as a good man. Family, friends, and acquaintances have described Leona as gentle, kind, accepting, and a good listener—a sweet person. We are left to enjoy all the wonderful memories she has given us. We’ll take her forward with us in our lives, keeping her close for that continued comfort she has always given. We’ll continue sharing parts of our daily lives with her as we have always done. We keep all her love with us and will always send ours to her. It is amazing to think of the impact a person like Leona has on the world, the way she made all those people she had contact with feel so at ease, comforted, and special during those moments with her and afterwards in their lives, the generations of children, grandchildren… she created and set an example for, who will continue on with life, with the chance to impact so many others in the same positive way she has. Leona ended a book she recently wrote about her life with, “I have had a long and happy life.” Special thanks for daughter Diana for putting together that beautiful book and photographs with Leona this summer. The family hopes to find a way to continue to thank and show their gratitude to all the special people at Providence Mother Joseph Care Center for the amazing care and love shown Leona and her family during her final days there. Cards can be sent to Michael Tokos at 9949 Hidden Lake Lane SE, Olympia, WA 98501. Donations can be made to the American Cancer Society. Memories of Leona or condolences for the family may be shared in the Guestbook below.