Mary Leonard

Mary Delores (Flaget) Leonard, of Onaway, went to her heavenly home with Jesus on May 29, 2026. Mary was born in Cut Bank, Montana on October 14, 1931 to John and Guri (Boe) Flaget, who had met after each immigrated from Norway. The family later moved to Eureka, Montana where she graduated high school in 1949 and married Howard Leonard in 1950. They were married 68 years before his passing in 2018.

The couple settled in Fortine on the Leonard family homestead. Their son, Bob, was born in 1951 while they were living in a log cabin on the homestead. Before the birth of her daughter Linda in 1953, they built a home a few miles closer to town on Deep Creek. Darla was born in 1958 and Brenda in 1964. Mary and Howard moved the family from the home they’d built on Deep Creek to the Palouse Country of Washington in 1966. They first lived in Palouse for seven years, then moved to Potlatch in 1973. Later, they purchased a home in Onaway and moved over the hill in 1986. After Howard’s death, Mary lived with her daughters, rotating between homes until she moved to Paradise Creek of Olympus Assisted Living in 2026 to what she called her “cute little cabin.”

Mary worked a variety of jobs as a youth; she was nanny, helped her sister, Cliela, at a hairdressers and, after moving to Eureka, worked writing case histories for a welfare and insurance office. Her primary work was in the ministry as a close partner with Howard, serving the area community at Faith Church in Onaway from 1966 to 2008. Mary was known for bringing extra food to church dinners “in case someone forgot.” She led Bible studies, taught Sunday School and continued to reach out and care for the children in the area. She was active in the Full Gospel Fellowship of Churches and Ministers, the local pastors’ group, and was a member of the Palouse Round Table Club which met to craft goods to sell in support of college scholarships. She maintained active participation in that effort after moving to Potlatch as well as using her crocheting and crafting skills for the Gritman Auxillary. After all her children had left home, she got a job working for the post office. Mary was also a talented artist, painting in both acrylics and watercolors. She was adventurous and had the pleasure of enjoying travel with her husband and siblings to Italy, Israel, Netherlands, Panama Canal, London, Hawaii and many places across the United States.

Mary was a dedicated host, often taking in people for meals and Norwegian goodies. She once housed a couple of teen girls while their father was serving on a mission. She had an “open-door policy” for her children, grandchildren and their friends who benefited from her good (short order) cooking, showers after sports practice, and crafting projects for entertainment and learning. She enjoyed camping and fishing in the Palouse area as well as in the mountains of Montana she loved so much.

Mary is survived by her daughters: Linda Muck and her husband Darrell of Kimberly; Darla Nicholson and her husband Lee of Potlatch; Brenda Helbling and her husband Bob of Moscow; eleven grandchildren – Brian Leonard, Jodi Schulz, Aaron Muck, Larisa Muck, Derek Muck, Jeralee Pope, Brad Nicholson, Nicholas Nicholson, Constance Trostrud, Ryan Helbling and Nicole Helbling; thirty-two great grandchildren; and one great-great grandchild. Mary was preceded in death by her husband, Howard, a beloved son, Robert Glen Leonard, and an infant daughter, Helen Jo Leonard.

Funeral services will be held on Saturday, July 18, 2026 at the Faith Church, 401 Third St, Onaway, Idaho. Condolences may be left and service timing will be announced by Short’s Funeral Chapel at https://www.shortsfuneralchapel.com/obituaries. In lieu of floral arrangements, memorials can be made to Gideon’s International or Palouse Care Network.