LEORA MARIE BAUSTIAN, age 82, of Luverne, died Tuesday, July 4, 2017, at the Bethany Home in Brandon, SD. She was born August 29, 1934, in Humboldt, SD, to Herman and Clara (Koball) Schievelbein. She attended country school for two years before graduating from Humboldt High School in 1952. She worked as a secretary at Washington Nath Engraving, in Sioux Falls, SD, from 1952 to 1956.

Leora married Lester R. Baustian on April 18, 1956, at St. Catherine Catholic Church in Luverne. The couple lived in Rock County all of their married lives and on a farm northwest of Luverne for fifty three years. Leora graduated from Dale Carnegie Human Relations Coarse at Nettleton College in Sioux Falls where she worked as a Graduate Assistant. In 1981, Leora graduated as a Private Secretary at Nettleton College. In 1982, she began working at Northwestern National Bank in Sioux Falls. Leora became a Mental Health Practitioner in 1983 and worked at The Southwestern Mental Health Center in Luverne. She later became a Partial Care Mental Health Facilitator and worked in Luverne & Pipestone.

She was a member of St. Catherine Catholic Church in Luverne; the LCCW; the Southwest Crisis Center Board; "Women Against Violence"; and a New WAV Advocate.

Leora is survived by her husband of over sixty years, Lester Baustian, Luverne, MN; seven children, Paul (Denae) Baustian, Harrisburg, SD; Brian (Barb) Baustian, Garretson, SD; Anne (Doug) Horst, Piedmont, SD; Greg Baustian, Worthington, MN; Susan (Steve Mitchell) Baustian, Hudson, WI; Kevin (Wendy) Baustian, Loudon, TN; and Mary (Don) Olson, Dennison; twenty seven grandchildren; twenty seven great grandchildren; and a brother, Clayton (Helen) Schievelbein, Bozeman, MT.

   She was preceded in death by her parents; son, Robert Baustian in 2003; and an infant child.

     Visitation will be from 5-7 pm Friday at the Dingmann Funeral Home, in Luverne, with parish prayers at 7 pm. Visitation also from 1 to 1:45 pm Saturday at the Dingmann Funeral Home in Luverne. Funeral Mass will be 2 pm Saturday at St. Catherine Catholic Church, in Luverne, officiated by Fr. Gerald Kosse. Burial will be in the St. Catherine Catholic Cemetery in Luverne.

 Service Information