Leah Hefner

September 12, 1921 - February 24, 2022

Leah Irene Taddiken Hefner, 100 years old, Topeka, Kansas, passed away peacefully Thursday, February 24, 2022, at Presbyterian Manor surrounded by her family. Leah was born September 12, 1921, in Clay Center, Kansas to Will F. Taddiken and Mary Ellen (Palmer) Taddiken. Leah spent her childhood in Morganville, Kansas graduating from Morganville High School in 1939. Leah worked for her father as a telephone operator during her high school summers until entering nurses training at Jane C. Stormont Hospital in Topeka in September of 1941. Leah was a member of the U.S Cadet Nurses Corps, graduated with her nursing degree in 1944 and worked for Winter General Hospital (now Colmery-O’Neil VA Hospital) as a civilian nurse until there were sufficient Army nurses to staff the hospital. Leah married John H. Hefner in 1945; they later divorced. She spent several years as a homemaker and mother. She re-entered the nursing profession in 1955 at the VA Hospital, where she worked for 28 years until she retired in 1982. In retirement, Leah was involved in Sweet Adelines, Mary Kay Cosmetics, the Red Hat Society, the Nurses Alumni Association, Topeka Woman’s Club, Moose Lodge and the National Association of Federal Employees. Leah loved music and sang in the church choir at Highland Park United Methodist Church for 26 years, and with the Shawnee County Choral Society. She supported the Topeka Symphony and Topeka Jazz workshop. Leah was preceded in death by her parents, her sister, Jean Kretzmeier and her son-in-law, Floyd Dugan. She is survived by her daughters, Sharon (Jim) Watkins of Topeka, Teresa Dugan of Ocala, Florida and Patricia (Harold) Stones of Topeka; granddaughters, Cassie (Jerry) Walter of Topeka, Jennifer (James) Powers of Topeka; five great-grandchildren; and one great-great- grandson; and many nieces and nephews. Leah was a strong woman and role model to many who also raised children as a single parent. She remained active and interested in many things well into her 99th year until she suffered a stroke. Leah celebrated her 100th birthday surrounded by family and friends who loved her dearly and will miss her always smiling face. Family will greet friends from 9:30 to 10:30 a.m. Wednesday, March 2, at Kevin Brennan Family Funeral Home, 2801 SW Urish Road, Topeka KS 66614, where her Memorial Service will follow at 10:30. Committal service will be at 1:30 p.m. in Greenwood Cemetery, Clay Center, KS. Memorial contributions are suggested to Helping Hands Humane Society, sent in care of the funeral home. Online condolences may be sent to www.kevinbrennanfamily.com.