Leona Faye Wynne

Leona Faye Wynne, age 83, born February 3, 1940, in Blackwell, Oklahoma, peacefully passed away with her family by her side on January 26, 2024, in Oklahoma City, Oklahoma. Leona is proceeded in death by her loving husband Richard, her sister Vinita Niemet, and her parents Oliver and Abilene Hood.

Leona met and married the love of her life, Richard Wynne, on February 25, 1960, in Colorado Springs, Colorado. She had two children, Greg and Michelle. Greg was born two days before their third anniversary in 1963 and Michelle was born two years later on their anniversary in 1965.

Leona lived many places over the years. She moved from Blackwell, Oklahoma to Colorado Springs, Colorado, to Ogden and Salt Lake City, Utah, to Denver, Colorado. She spent her last 50 plus years of her life either in Oklahoma City, Oklahoma or Dallas, Texas.

Leona gained two other kids along the way. Tom Long married her daughter, Michelle in October of 1993, and Debbie Morice married her son, Greg, in October of 1998. Leona loved them as her own and was a wonderful mom to both. Leona also became close with Debbie’s mom Rosemary Morice and brother David enjoying many family gatherings together over the years.

During Leona’s life she was also a great artist and seamstress. She painted landscapes, old barns, country village scenes - anything that gave her inspiration at the time. She always said that “I only paint what I see, and anyone could do it!”. There are countless people and families with original artworks by Leona Wynne, she painted hundreds over the years, more than we have seen as they were all given away. If she was ever paid for one, the money went to charity. Leona created a beautiful mural of bible stories along the walls of the children’s wing at her church Spring Valley United Methodist. She enjoyed having the youth help with the painting. The colorful mural is a lasting reminder of how Leona enjoyed sharing her artistic gift with others.

Leona’s sewing was equally as impeccable. Making clothes for herself and family, upholstering furniture and making her daughter’s wedding dress. She, of course, also did much hemming and alterations during the years.

After her husband’s passing in 1999, Leona attended a local grief support group, where she met her soon-to-be best friend, art buddy and travel companion, Ginny Bitting. They were close friends soon after meeting as they had so much in common. They both attended art classes in Allen, Texas and traveled with the art crew to France (Sanary-sur-Mer) to paint there and explore the culture.

Leona loved to serve and help others. For well over 15 years, Leona and Rosemary were dedicated weekly volunteers with Buckner International’s Center for Humanitarian Aid. They developed special friendships with their Wednesday morning volunteer group as they sorted and packed humanitarian aid and shoes to be shipped to children and families in need around the world. Inspired through volunteering, Leona and Rosemary traveled together on mission trips with Buckner to serve children in orphanages in Russia and Ethiopia. She also enjoyed traveling with her church mission group to Guatemala. Leona became quite the adventurer! She always said she didn’t want to go on any more trips unless it was to “help people.”

Leona LOVED all her friends and loved ones in Dallas, Texas. She had her family, her condo group, her art group, her volunteer group and her church family at Spring Valley United Methodist Church. We are certain there is no one who would say anything but great things about Leona. She was positive to a fault, but she was a typical mother who worried about all her kids and friends. She was not a glass half-full, or half-empty person, but always a glass full to the brim.

She was a world-renowned picky eater and bragged that she had never eaten a salad and never would!! Chocolate cake was Leona’s favorite go to meal!

She moved to HarborChase Assisted Living in Oklahoma City in March 2021, where she would be closer to her daughter Michelle and Tom. Soon after moving there, she discovered her next calling, which was painting pictures of residents' and staffs' pets. She loved painting their pets and probably did at least 40 in her time there. She loved the staff and residents at HarborChase and they loved her. She was as easy going and agreeable as a person could be - and she never wanted to “bother” anyone if she had needs.

Her last days were spent at HarborChase with Michelle and Tom, and Greg and Debbie there by her side until the end and with the staff friends also sending her off on her next journey with LOVE. Leona will be dearly missed by her loved ones and remembered for her compassionate heart, desire to serve families and children in need, her artistic talent, and her joyful and loving spirit.

Leona is survived by her son and daughter-in-law Greg and Debbie Wynne, of Dallas, her daughter and son-in-law, Michelle and Tom Long of Oklahoma City, and her brother Jerry Hood of Phoenix, Arizona.

A celebration of Leona’s life will be Saturday February 17th at 11:00 a.m. at Spring Valley United Methodist Church, 7700 Spring Valley Road, Dallas, Texas 75254. The Reverend Dr. Frank Drenner will be officiating. The family kindly requests any donations in memory of Leona’s life be made to Spring Valley United Methodist Church or Buckner International.