Leona Frances Whiting

Leona Frances Whiting, a beloved mother, grandmother, great-grandmother, great-great-grandmother, and friend, passed away on August 8, 2026, at the remarkable age of 98, leaving behind a legacy built on family, hard work, resilience, and love.

Leona was born April 16, 1928, near Albion, Montana, to John Leo Wilson and May Riley Wilson. She was the youngest of six daughters and one son born to her parents. Her childhood took her from rural Montana to South Dakota and Wyoming as her family moved for work and schooling. She graduated from high school in Belle Fourche, South Dakota, in 1945.

Through a mutual friend, Leona was introduced to Stephen J. Geis of Aladdin, Wyoming. The two were married on February 21, 1946, and made their home on the Geis family ranch, which had been homesteaded in 1880. Together they welcomed two children, Cheryl Marie and James Randall.

In 1951, Leona and Stephen built a new home on the ranch, where they raised their family and shared a life rooted in ranching, family, and community. Leona also worked for Hubbard Milling Company in Belle Fourche for several years before Stephen’s death in August 1975.

Following Stephen’s passing, Leona moved to Cody, Wyoming. She began another chapter of her life working as an office manager and receptionist for two doctors. She spent 14 years with one practice and one year with another.

During those years, Leona met Walter (Lyle) Whiting, a retired high school superintendent and rancher. They were married February 18, 1990, and shared 14 wonderful years together before his passing on October 22, 2024. Leona later retired from the medical field and eventually made her home at Primrose Retirement Community in Gillette, Wyoming.

Leona lived through nearly a century of change, but the things that mattered most remained constant: family, perseverance, hard work, and the importance of knowing where you came from. She took great pride in her family’s history and ancestry, preserving the stories of generations before her so they could be passed on to generations yet to come.

To know Leona was to know a woman whose life cannot simply be measured in 98 years, but in the generations she leaves behind, the memories she created, and the countless lives that are better because she was part of them.

Family was at the heart of Leona’s life. Over the course of her 98 years, she had the extraordinary blessing of watching her family grow through multiple generations.

Leona is survived by her children, Cheryl (Gerald) Williams, James R. (Marianne) Geis, and Bryan (Kathy) Whiting.

She is also survived by her grandchildren: Jaci (Eric) Wright, Jana (Brandon) Selk, Cheri (Jeremy) Cook, Stephen E. (Stephanie) Geis, Jennifer (Flint) Smith, Michelle (Pete) Bredeson, Amanda Johnson, Eric (Sayer) Whiting, Jason Whiting, Claire (Josh) Polansky, and Anthony Micco.

She leaves a beautiful legacy that includes 11 grandchildren, 22 great-grandchildren, 12 great-great-grandchildren--- each one a part of the remarkable family story she helped begin.

She was preceded in death by her beloved parents, John Leo and May Wilson; her husbands, Stephen J. Geis and Walter L. Whiting; her daughter, Adele Micco; her daughter-in-law, Linda Geis; her dear sisters, Fern Wallace, Edith Culver, Evelyn Nelson, Ruth Buckley, and Ilene Vukasin; and her brother, James Wilson.

In lieu of flowers, Leona would prefer you to donate to the Chapter V PEO Scholarship Fund. Those wishing to send cards or condolences to the family may mail them to 6506 Katrina Avenue, Gillette, Wyoming 82718.

A memorial gathering will be August 18, 2026, at 10:00 am at Primrose Retirement Center Assembly Hall. A private gathering will be held at a later date, where Leona will be laid to rest with her husband in Pine Slope Cemetery.