Obituaries

Leota Pauline (Allison) Hurlbut was born on March 12, 1920, to Jennie and Floyd Allison in a small house east of Luray in a blizzard. She told stories of it being so cold the family needed to cover the windows with blankets, to keep their little bundle warm inside their small home. Her brother Orlis was born when Leota was 3 years old. In her younger years, her family moved to Southern Osborne Country. Her school was located just 2 miles from her home and each day it was her responsibility to see that she and her younger brother, made it. She remembered more than one time when her brother’s ornery nature made them a bit late getting home. As the kids got older, they moved to Luray. Leota’s family were hard workers. While her father was working, her mother had a large garden and a herd of turkeys. Leota helped by keeping the house immaculate, a habit that stayed with her to the end. To her credit, even at such a young age this was probably a full-time job as that was the decade of the dust bowls. Leota told a story about one day when she and her family decided to go to Russell to visit family. They left first thing in the morning and since it was a beautiful outside, she left her window open just a crack for some fresh air. When her family walked back into their home later the weather had changed, there was a heavy layer of dirt covering everything. Leota graduated from Luray High School in 1939. She enjoyed high school and had many longtime friends. After graduation, she started working at the local grocery store.