Leona GRAY
Leona passed away on February 4, 2026, at the age of 98. Predeceased by her husbands, Anthony Kesler (1968) and David Gray (2002). She will be fondly missed by her family, Jo-Ann (Ralph) Benedict, Tony (Susan) Kesler, Brian (Margaret) Kesler, Linda Gray (Cam), and Jonathon Gray; her grandchildren, Lindsay, Joel, Sarah, Erin, Andrew, Stephanie, Emily, Mary, Shannon, and Hannah; and great-grandsons, Parker, Hudson, and Dean. Leona Mae Waldo was born in Coronach, Saskatchewan, during the Dust Bowl and the Depression. Her Prairie stock had arrived there from Hungary, France, Scotland, and Germany. She was the second of four children born to her artist mother, Agnes Coignet, and engineer father, Leonard Waldo. The family moved often within the province, eventually settling in Regina, Saskatchewan. It was there that Leona met her first husband, Anthony Kesler, while playing tennis. They married and had three children: Tony, Brian, and Jo-Ann. After Anthony Kesler passed, an old friend who had lived at Leona's mother's boarding house during the war came back into her life. David Wilkinson Gray, also Prairie stock, would marry and bring Leona and her three children to join him, his daughter, Linda, and son, Jonathan, in Ontario. Now there were seven. Being on the land again, even if it was in Ontario, led to Leona and David purchasing a farm in Carluke. Happy years were spent there. Leona and David enjoyed travels abroad and a fun social life, but the most important thing they shared was their deep faith in God. After David passed, Leona continued to celebrate her children and grandchildren through visits and travel. A gifted artist in her own right, she enjoyed and flourished at communicating her gifts across many mediums. Visitation will be held at Miller Funeral Chapel, 28 Caithness St. E., Caledonia, on Wednesday, February 18, 2026, from 5:00 p.m. to 8:00 p.m. The funeral service will be held at Miller Funeral Chapel on Thursday, February 19, 2026. In lieu of flowers, donations may be made to [insert charity]. Special thanks to [insert names].
