Leona Hyde

Leona Hyde, 96, passed into her heavenly father's arms on March 2, 2016, with her family by her side, in Craigmont. She was a born-again believer and was baptized on July 29, 2007.

A memorial service will be held at 10:30 a.m. Friday at Highland Baptist Church, Craigmont. Friends and family are invited to a covered-dish meal served at the Winchester Senior Center following the memorial service. A graveside service for family will be at 3 p.m. at Normal Hill Cemetery in Lewiston.

Leona was born May 1, 1919, in Kendrick, to Blaine and Maggie Sams, who moved to Lewiston sometime in the '30s. Leona graduated from Lewiston High School.

She met Charles Edmund Hyde when he was picking cherries in the family orchard. They married in 1938 and lived in Lewiston, where Charles became assistant fire chief and Leona stayed at home to raise their three children. They moved to Craigmont in the late '80s.

Leona loved gardening and was a member of the Lindsay Creek Garden Club in Lewiston for 20 years. She served as a judge of the flower entries in the Nez Perce County Fair. She continued her gardening in Craigmont, and especially enjoyed raising tomatoes in her greenhouse.

After her husband's retirement, he took up fiddling with the Old Time Fiddlers. Leona loved to listen and danced regularly, though rarely with anyone except her husband. She passed on her dancing skills to her grandkids during family gatherings at their vacation cabin in the mountains near Fernwood, Idaho.

Leona was a master at knitting, crocheting and tatting, much to the delight of her family. She crafted thousands of afghans, baby clothes, doll dresses, lace doilies and stuffed animals. Besides the many creations she gave away to family and friends, she regularly donated her handmade treasures for fundraisers at the Winchester Senior Center and other organizations.

She was preceded in death by her husband, Charles Edmund Hyde; and one sister, June Byers.

She is survived by her brother, Max Sams; and her sister, Delores Staab; three children, Ron Hyde of Fernwood, Idaho, Janice (Louis) Kight of Winchester, and Margie (Gary) Thayer of Chattaroy, Wash.; six grandchildren; 11 great-grandchildren; and 13 great-great-grandchildren.

Memorial donations may be sent to the Craigmont Quick Response Unit.