Leona Jean Heft, 92 1/2, of Genoa, Nebraska, peacefully passed away on October 28, 2021, at Genoa Medical Facilities.

The funeral service will be held on Wednesday, November 3, at 1:30 PM, at Augustana Lutheran Church with Vicar Adam Klinker officiating. Visitation will be on Tuesday, from 5:00 - 8:00 PM and continue on Wednesday, from 12:30 PM until service time, all at the church. Interment will be in Valley View Cemetery. Please help her family celebrate the sweetest lady with sweets in the Augustana Lutheran Church basement following the burial. The funeral service will be broadcast live on the Gass Haney Funeral Home Facebook page. Memorials may be directed to those of the family's choice.

Lee was born in Belgrade, Nebraska, to Russell and Lillian (Deike) Boyd on March 10, 1929. Lee attended grade school at Boone County Country School, then high school in Cedar Rapids where she frequently did housekeeping and babysitting for her community. Soon after high school, she met the love of her life, George, through her brothers John and Bud. They married on March 10, 1948, in Albion, Nebraska. George and Lee moved around a little before finding their forever home. They started their life together on a farm in Albion, then moved to Belgrade where they had their first son, Dan. They finally settled down in Genoa, where they completed their family with Bob and Sharon. Lee spent many years raising her children and baking for friends and family. Once her three children were of school age, Lee began her nursing career at the Genoa Hospital where she was known for the genuine care she routinely gave. She was a devoted member of the Legion and Hospital Auxiliary. Looking for a new adventure, George and Lee bought the local ice cream shop in Genoa, naming it Heft's Cozy Inn. After eventual retirement, George and Lee enjoyed cleaning the clinic in Genoa.

Throughout her life, Lee enjoyed gardening, crossword puzzles, the game marbles with her grandkids, scratch cards, and Sunday dinners with a table full of family and friends. You could always count on there being a card table with a puzzle being put together in the entryway of her home. She was known for her never-ending kindness, love of holidays (especially Halloween), and her incredible baking skills. Her pies were everyone's favorite. Although Alzheimer's slowly took her memory away, it did not take away her charm. She was always a favorite at Genoa Medical Facilities where you could find her scooting around in her wheelchair taking care of her favorite baby doll.

Lee is survived by her daughter Sharon Czapla of Gretna; sister Vonda Conant of Gretna; 8 grandchildren; 11 great-grandchildren; 4 great-great-grandchildren; and finally; countless in-laws, nieces, nephews, cousins, and special friends.

She was preceded in death by her parents Russell and Lillian Boyd; husband George Heft; sons Bob and Dan Heft; brothers John, Bud, Al, and Arnie Boyd; sister Donna Fleck; and her grandsons John and Robert Czapla.