Leona E. Kezele (nee Plut)

Leona E. Kezele (née Plut), age 95, passed away peacefully. She was born on August 11, 1930, in Joliet, Illinois, to Marko and Barbara Plut.

Leona was a proud graduate of Joliet Central High School. In her earlier years, she held various bookkeeping positions, most notably at Argonne National Laboratory, a role she spoke of with great pride. In 1960, she married Michael E. Kezele, and together they built a loving home. After their marriage, Leona devoted herself fully to her family as a homemaker and mother to three children: Carol, Linda, and Mike.

Family was at the center of Leona’s life. She especially cherished family vacations, frequently traveling cross-country to San Diego to visit dear friends, with memorable stops at national parks and Las Vegas along the way. In later years, when travel was no longer possible, she continued to enjoy life’s little thrills as an avid gambler, finding joy in lottery tickets and local slot machines.

Leona was preceded in death by her husband, Michael; parents, Marko and Barbara Plut; her sisters: Mary and Dorothy; her brothers: Robert, Edward, and William; and her brothers- and sisters-in-law: Molly, Mary, Delores, Ray, and Richie.

She is survived by her beloved children: Carol (husband Eric and step-daughter Sam), Linda, and Mike.

Funeral services will be held privately at Abraham Lincoln National Cemetery, 20953 W Hoff Rd, Elwood, IL

In lieu of flowers, memorial donations may be made to the American Cancer Society or to your local Humane Society.