Leona Beckerdite

Leona Alice Beckerdite, 92, of Mandan, passed away on Friday, July 31, 2026, at her home in Mandan.

Mass of Christian Burial will be held at 10:30 A.M., Wednesday, August 12, 2026, at St. Joseph's Catholic Church, with Father Fred Harvey celebrating. Interment will follow at the North Dakota Veterans Cemetery, south of Mandan.

Visitation will be held from 5:00 to 7:00 P.M., Tuesday, August 11, 2026, at Weigel Funeral Home in Mandan, with the Rosary and Parish Vigil beginning at 7:00 P.M. The family will continue to receive friends one hour prior to the Mass at the church on Wednesday.

Leona was born on November 2, 1933, to Michael C. and Irene (Wingenbach) Schafer. She was the fifth of fourteen children and was raised on the family farm near Raleigh, North Dakota. The family later moved five miles south of Flasher.

In 1952, Leona moved to Mandan, where she worked at Cloverdale before going to work for JCPenney. In 1956, she moved to Aberdeen, Washington, and in 1957 relocated to Los Angeles, California. Leona met the love of her life, Richard Beckerdite, in 1965, and they were married in 1967. They made their home in Desert Hot Springs, California, where Leona managed a toy company for 17 years.

In 1970, they moved to Lavaca, Arkansas, and in 1973 returned to North Dakota, settling in Flasher. Leona worked at Meyer's Café for six years before opening her own restaurant, Leona's Kountry Kitchen, which she operated from 1988 until 1992, when they moved to Mandan. While living in North Dakota, she worked as a cook and waitress for another 18 years.

After her oldest daughter married, Leona decided to learn cake decorating. She created countless wedding, birthday, anniversary, and specialty cakes over a span of 33 years, hauling them wherever they needed to go. The furthest delivery she made was to Lavaca, Missouri. She also created silk flowers for weddings and proms.

Leona’s other hobbies included embroidery, baking, painting, playing bingo, and, spending time with her grandbabies. She lovingly babysat many of them over the years.

Leona will be deeply missed by her children, Debbie Kuntz of Lincoln; Pam Hauff of Jacksonville, Florida; Cindy (Bobby) Danford of Frenchtown, Montana; Shelly (Tom) Gartner of St. Anthony; and daughter-in-law, Jackie Haag of Bismarck; eight grandchildren, Don (Ann) Haag of Bismarck, Bryan (Ashley) Miller of Fort Worth, Texas, David Kuntz of Lincoln, Casey Wright of Frenchtown, Montana, Chelsey Richter (Brooke Wise) of Mandan, Tonya Berger of Mandan, Mason Haag (Macy Lorinser) of Mandan, and one additional grandchild; 15 great-grandchildren; sisters, Eleanor Schaff of Surprise, Arizona, Phyllis Schuh of Sun City, Arizona, Edna Keller of Linton, and Cecelia Schafer of Linton; brothers, Sam (Ruby) Schafer of Hazen and N. Mike Schafer of Bismarck; sister-in-law, JoAnn Schafer of Mandan; and numerous nieces and nephews.

Leona was preceded in death by her parents, Mike and Irene Schafer; her parents-in-law, Elmer and June Beckerdite; the love of her life, Richard Beckerdite; her son, Bill Haag; grandson, Chris Haag; sister, Delores Ternes; brothers, Cal Schafer and Alfred Schafer; infant siblings, Bernetta, Richard, Leo, and Adam; sons-in-law, Val Kuntz and Gary Hauff; brothers-in-law, Christ Schaff, Bob Schuh, and Elmer Keller; and sisters-in-law, Robyn Schafer and Peggy Schafer.