Leona Iolene Kriege Blasingame, 64, died Saturday, June 1 at her home near Bend, after a two-year battle with double-hit lymphoma.

Leona was born to Wesley G. and Geraldine J. Kriege in Prineville on January 16, 1949. She began school at Ochoco Elementary in Prineville, and then moved with her family to Seneca in 1959 where she finished her elementary school.  She attended Grant Union High School in John Day.

She married Ralph Steelman in 1966 and had two daughters, Tami and Christina. In 1975, the family moved to Burns where she worked for the ESD for many years. She was responsible for bringing fiber-optics to the Harney County area and helped computerize the rural areas of the county. Up to the day of her passing, she continued to help the school districts in and around Harney County with their e-rate program to obtain funding.

She married Steven Blasingame at her home in Burns Sept. 1, 2001, where they lived until 2004 when they moved to Bend. Leona loved to hunt and fish and just be outdoors.  She loved people and to have her family around her.

Leona is survived by her husband, Steven Blasingame of Bend; daughters, Tami Steelman Gonzales (Eddie) of the California bay area and Christina Steelman Olsen (Paul) of Redmond; mother, Geraldine Kriege of Prineville; grandsons, Christopher Howes (Rachel) of Burns and  Nick Howes (Elizabeth); great-grandson, Gabriel Howes of Bend; granddaughter, Katherine (Katie) Olsen of Redmond; sisters, Linda Fell (Fred) of Prineville and Georgia Morin (Cecil) of Prineville; one niece, two nephews and many great-nieces and nephews.

A memorial service will be held in Burns at 10 a.m. Saturday, June 8,  at the Burns Elks Lodge.

Memorial contributions may be made to the charity of your choice through Whispering Winds Funeral Home, 185 NE 4th St., Ste 103, Prineville, OR. 97754, (541) 416-9733

Jerry D. Branson of Springfield died May 19 of natural causes.

Jerry was born in Platte, S. D., to Leonard and Thelma Branson. He graduated from Burns Union High School, served in the U.S. Army and the National Guard, and received his Bakery Degree from Dunwoody Industrial Institute in Minneapolis, Minn.

He married Deanna (Davis) Branson in June 1963.

Jerry owned Hometown Bakery in Burns before going to work at Edward Hines Lumber Co. in Hines. He enjoyed spending time in the outdoors with family and friends. There are many memories of all the weekends spent snowmobiling, waterskiing, camping, hunting, and motocross racing.

He is survived by his wife, Deanna; their three children, Patty Rusow (husband, Brad), LeAnn Stormer (husband, Todd), and Tony Branson (wife, Brenda); three grandchildren,  Cody Rusow (wife, Jamie), Brice Plouse and Bret Plouse; one great-grandchild, Cash Rusow; and his blue heeler dog, Ruger. He is also survived by three siblings,  Joy Beard of McMinnville, Doyle Branson of Burns, and Deanna Clark of Granite Bay, Calif.

His sister, Saundra Bennett of Burns, and his parents preceded him in death.

No service is being held. Arrangements by Andreason’s Cremation & Burial Service in Springfield.

John Edward Randall Jr. died May 29 at St. Charles Medical Center in Bend. John survived cancer twice before succumbing to lung cancer following a short illness.

John was born May 6, 1945, in Hollywood, Calif. He married Lois Ely on Aug. 16, 1965, in Tri-Cities, Wash.

John, Lois and their daughter, Jodi, moved to Burns in 1979. He enjoyed many years of golfing at the Valley Golf Club in Hines.

John is survived by his wife, Lois, of Burns; his daughter, Jodi Randall-Bennett, and her husband, Steve Bennett, of Salem.