Leona Strobel, age 81, of Gary, MN, died Thursday, January 11, 2018 at her home. Leona Maria Rodriguez was born November 11, 1936 to Petra "Betty" (Salazar) and Leo Rodriguez in Michoacán, Mexico. At the age of 11, she and her family moved to West Fargo, North Dakota, where she attended school and graduated from West Fargo High. After graduation, Leona went to the St. Luke's School of Nursing where she graduated with her LPN degree. In 1960, Leona met and married the love of her life, Eugene Eric Strobel, and their adventure began. Gene's career as a civil engineer, took on positions in many different locations over the years. The couple made their first home in St. Paul, Minnesota, where they were blessed with their first child, Elena Marie. After a brief stint in California, they relocated to Cheyenne, Wyoming, where they were blessed with their first son, Christopher Paul. They lived in Ankara, Turkey for two years before moving to Saudi Arabia. It was here that they were blessed with the twins, Lisa Ann and Eric Daniel. In 1984, the couple moved to Gary, where they made their home and enjoyed farming. Leona loved to entertain! Christmas parties, birthday parties, bridge parties, as long as she was entertaining people and feeding them – she was happy. The parties also fed into another passion of hers – cooking! For Leona the upside to making something new and delicious, was a unique new menu item for another entertainment. For her children - the downside was all the 'trial and errors. Leona also had a gift of gab, and made friends around the globe. She could as easily find herself swapping recipes with a Greek waiter as sharing hysterical family stories with an Arabian Provence Prince, or a New York cab driver. Her real gift of course, was that she really listened and paid attention. She was never looking over your shoulder for the next person to talk to, but rather totally focused on you. An amazing green thumb was something that Leona had been blessed with. House plants, outdoor flowers, trees, vegetable gardens – it was all the same to her. If it could grow, she would try it and succeed. Above all however, Leona's greatest passion in life was her family. She wanted everything for them, and did all in her power to help them succeed at any and all of their dreams. She was their greatest champion and their port in a storm, always sharing her love and common sense. Leona 's zest for life drew people from all walks of life to her like bees to honey. She was fun and funny, adventurous and a homebody, anxious to try new things and a guardian of treasured old things. She never saw herself as special, even though it was immediately apparent to any who met her. Leona is survived by her children: Elena (Bradley) Thronson of Gary, Chris (Traci) Strobel of Mt. Prospect, IL, Eric Strobel of Gary, and Lisa (Dan) Green of Ashland, OH; six brothers, Leo Rodriguez, Tony (Linda) Rodriguez, Manny (Veronica) Rodriguez, Greg (Mary) Rodriguez, Ralph Rodriquez, all of Colorado, and Fred (Barb) Rodriguez of West Fargo; and one sister, Lupe (Don) Simpson of Chicago, IL; grandchildren: Zachary (Tonya) Thronson, Tyra (Tim) Jambois, Shayla (Matt Wojtas) Strobel, Kellen & Tanner Strobel, Jade (Rich) Ihry, Ceara (Tim) Gunderson; six great grandchildren; her uncle, Ben Salazar; and many nieces and nephews. She was preceded in death by her husband, Gene; her parents, Betty & Leo; sisters, Martha Diego and Adela Puente; brother-in-law, Joe Puente; and sister-in-law, Lou Rodriguez. Funeral Mass will be held Friday, January 19, 2018 at 11:00 am in St. William Catholic Church, Twin Valley, MN. Visitation will be Thursday, January 18, from 5:00-7:00 pm, with a time of sharing beginning at 6:00 pm, at the Anderson Family Funeral Home, Twin Valley, and one hour prior to the service at the church on Friday. Interment will be at the Gary Lutheran Cemetery. Arrangements entrusted to Anderson Family Funeral Home in Twin Valley, MN. Online guestbook at www.andersonfamilyfh.com.