Obituary of Lucille Mary Jane Leischner

Lucille Mary Jane (Weber) Leischner was born on October 11, 1922. Lucille went to her heavenly home on January 18, 2024. She was surrounded by loving family members and her caregivers at Morning Pointe Assisted Living in Hixson, Tennessee. 

Lucille was born to Nicholus and Mary (Sanders) Weber in Butte, Nebraska. She was one of 12 children. Lucille married Lyle McCright in 1945 and to this marriage seven children were born. After Lyle's death in 1963, Lucille married Kermit Leischner in 1972 and welcomed into this union his two children and their families. Lucille lived most of her life in Parkston, South Dakota and moved to Tennessee in 2012, where she resided until her death. 

Most of her career was spent as an educator, from the age of 17 to 58, where she had the opportunity to touch the lives of numerous students whether in her one-room school with grades one to eight, 4th graders at Sacred Heart Catholic School, or as a media specialist at the Parkston Middle School. Upon her retirement from teaching in 1980, she ran Kerm's Oil with her husband until their retirement in 1990. After retiring, Kerm and Lucille enjoyed traveling and family. Lucille was active in the Parkston Legion Auxiliary, the South Dakota Retired Teachers Association and the Sacred Heart Catholic Daughters. Her faith and service were an example to everyone. Whether teaching children or raising seven children as a single parent after the death of her first husband, she was a role model for all. She taught all who knew her there was always a solution to any obstacle in life. She was wise, loving and always interested in others. Her grandchildren and great-grandchildren will affirm she made the best gingersnap cookies in the world and the gingersnaps were a staple in her house and at every family gathering. 

Lucille is survived by her loving children, Lynn (Barry) Burkhardt, Lakewood Village, Texas, Maureen (Joel) Weiss, Basehor, Kansas, Stanley (Betsy) McCright, Hixson, Tennessee, Patricia (Mark) Stanforth, Colorado Springs, Colorado, Renee (Jeffrey) Pries, Rochester Hills, Michigan, Susan (Michael) Wudel, Naples, Florida, and Bernadine (Loyson) Wiechmann, Phoenix, Arizona, step-daughter Becky (Larry) Stumph, Cedar Rapids, Iowa, 33 grandchildren, 38 great-grandchildren and numerous nieces and nephews. 

Preceding her in death were her husbands, Lyle and Kermit, step-son Darwin Leischner, great-granddaughter Hope McCoy, parents and siblings. 

A funeral mass will be held at St. Jude's Catholic Church, 930 Ashland Terrace, Chattanooga, Tennessee at 11:00 am February 2, 2024. The family will receive guests at 10:30 am at St. Jude's Catholic Church prior to the mass. The mass will be live streamed at: https://www.stjudechattanooga.org/live-stream-masses. A memorial mass will be held on Saturday, May 25, 2024 at 10:30 am at Sacred Heart Catholic Church in Parkston with interment at the Sacred Heart Catholic cemetery. 

In lieu of flowers, the family asks for contributions to the Lucille McCright-Leischner Scholarship Fund through the South Dakota Communities Foundation. This is a scholarship fund set up in her honor and will support future educators and vocational professionals graduating from Parkston High School.

(https://www.sdcommunityfoundation.org/giving/support-an-existing-fund/lucille-mccright-leischner-scholarship-fund)