Leona Alexander Carter Bailey

October 14, 1916 ~ February 5, 2009

Leona Alexander Carter Bailey, 92 returned home to be with loved ones and to serve her Heavenly Father on February 5, 2009 in Blanding, UT.

Her daughter, Saundra Bennett, was with her as she was peacefully reunited with her family and loved ones.

Funeral services were held on February 12, 2009 at the San Juan Mortuary. She was laid to rest at the Blanding City Cemetery.

Leona, a twin, was born October 14, 1916 in Spanish Fork, UT to David William Patten Alexander and Nancy Caroline Holt. She is the twelth child of 13 children. Her twin, Leo Alexander the 13th child, preceded her in death at the age of three months. She remembered fondly growing up in a little four-room farm house in Spanish Fork.

Leona married William H. Carter “Bill” on December 2, 1938. They became the parents of Saundra Lee Cater (Jerry Bennett). They were later divorced.

She is preceded in death by her parents, 12 brothers and sisters. She is survived by her daughter, Saundra Bennett who resides in Blanding, UT, six grandchildren and 12 great-grandchildren.

After caring for her mother, who passed away in 1958, she became a licensed cosmetologist. She and Saundra then moved to Blanding, where she began operating Louisa Redd Lyman’s beauty shop. She later opened and operated her own beauty shop in the “Castle House”, as it is know, located at 120 West Center Street, naming the business the Castle Beauty Shop.

She married Ralph Arthur Bailey on January 24, 1964 in the Mesa, AZ Temple. She and Ralph fulfilled a temple mission for the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints in Mesa, AZ and a proselyting mission in England. Ralph passed away in 1972 after being diagnosed with cancer. She operated several other beauty shops in Blanding after Ralph’s passing.

In 1988 she served another LDS proselyting mission in Sacramento, CA and in 1991, a Stake Temple Mission in St. George, UT.

She married Cumon Stratton on March 25, 1994 in Hurricane, UT. Cumon later passed away on September 18, 2000.

As her health declined, she entered the nursing home in Blanding in 2001.

Leona was very kind, generous and giving of her time to help everyone. She loved her many, many family members and enjoyed her grandchildren and great-grandchildren and loved living so close to them. She loved to travel, was a very talented seamstress, artist and played the piano. She was always improving her many talents and learning new ones.

Our mom, grandmother, and great-grandmother we are proud of you and are so thankful for your life. We love you.

Note of Thanks
We are so thankful to the many family members and friends that enriched Leona’s life. There are so many people that we would like to thank, here are a few of those people that have helped Leona in the most recent years. Please understand there are too many wonderful people in Blanding to have a complete list, but we are ever grateful to each of you.

A special thank you to Jerry Bennett (son-in-law) for his patience and love during this difficult time, the Four Corners Care Center and its many staff members, they were all so patient, loving and caring to Leona. To Dr. James D. Redd for his humor in caring for Leona, Elaine Liddell and Debbie Slade for being by Saundra’s side every step of the way. And thank you to our many family members who visited Leona and expressed love and concern during her stay in the nursing home.

A special thank you to Danny Palmer of San Juan Mortuary for his amazing love and care he showed to Leona and the family.

Saundra & Jerry Bennett
Troy & Vivian Johnson
Glenna & Johnny Slavens
Tiffanie & Ross Hurst
Amanda & Danny Palmer
Cassidy & Damon Black
Her many great-grandchildren