Lucille E. Leitner, 85 years of age, of Concordia, passed away unexpectedly Monday, January 7, 2013. She was born May 15, 1927 in Thayer County , Nebraska to Leonard & Martha (Schutte) Dankenbring. She graduated from Bruning High School and received her business degree from National Business Institute in Lincoln , NE. She first worked for an attorney in Bruning and then decided to follow her parents to Goodland, where she was employed by BE Bridges and ultimately met her future husband, Bill Leitner. They were married Sept. 7, 1947 and lived in Goodland until Aug. 1977. Bill's job moved them to Norton, until his retirement when they moved to Bennington to be closer to 'the kids' where she was actively involved with the United Women With a Mission (UWWM). After Bill's death in Oct. 2004, Lucille moved to Concordia to be closer to her daughter Shari and family.

Lucille was preceded in death by her parents & husband, Bill. She is survived by her 3 children, Gary, of Olathe, Cindy Tieperman and husband Greg of Plano, Texas, Shari Johnson and husband Ron of Concordia; grandchildren, Lauren and husband Ryan, Lacey and fiancé Andrew, Gentry, Tyson and wife Brooke, Bryant and fiancée Shaley, Taryn; great grandchildren, Zachary, Tyler, Kayla, Braden, Bowen, Kippen; 3 sisters, Arlene Mesloh of Corpus Christi, Texas, Dolores Peters of Colby, Wilma Casey and husband Pearson of Waco, Texas; 2 sisters in law, Darla Mather and husband Lowell of Sharon Springs, Joanie Leitner of Lincoln, Nebraska; and numerous nieces & nephews.

Lucille was passionate about so many things. She loved her family more than anything and treasured her time with them as well as watching pictures and memories on her digital photo frame. Lucille loved flowers, working crossword puzzles, working with stained glass, reading her newspapers & following local sports plus K-State and KU (often watching one on TV & listening to 2 more on the radio), talking with her sisters on the phone, reading Sharon Randall & Guideposts. She was fondly known as Mom, Grandma, Great Grandma, 'gram cracker', grams, Lucille & 'Cille. She was a member of the Emmanuel Lutheran Church of Goodland and attended the First United Methodist Church in Concordia.

Funeral services will be held at 11:00 AM, CST, Friday, January 11, 2013 at the First United Methodist Church in Concordia with Rev. Tessa Zehring officiating. Graveside services will be held at 2:00 PM, MST, Saturday, Jan. 12, 2013 at the Goodland Cemetery , Goodland. Visitation will be held from 9 AM to 9 PM Thursday, January 10, 2012 with family greeting friends from 6:30 to 8 PM at Chaput-Buoy Funeral Home in Concordia. The family suggests memorials to Neighbor to Neighbor, Concordia in care of the funeral home.