Lenora Ellen (Addleman) McMinn, 98, of Somerset, passed away on July 30, 2022. She was born on April 23, 1924 on her family’s farm near Clarksville. Lenora, known to most as “Lea” or “Grammy”, was the second of three children of Clarence Earl Addleman and Nellie Hartley Addleman. She grew up on the farm with her brothers, Robert and Laurence, where together they forged a very special family focus that has extended to all their children and grandchildren. In addition to her parents, she was predeceased by her cousins, Lee Addleman and Nelle Addleman Virgin who lived with her family growing up, as their parents had died when they were young.
She was active in the local 4H club of which her mother was a leader and attended a one room school within walking distance of the farm through 7th grade. She attended 8th and 9th grades in Lippincott, and High School in Waynesburg (staying during the week in Waynesburg with her Aunt). She attended Bethany College for one year and then transferred to Penn State University, graduating with a degree in Elementary Education. She later earned her Master’s Degree from Penn State.
Lenora was employed as an Elementary Teacher, teaching for 24 years at Shanksville-Stonycreek School District. She retired from teaching in 1986. During the years since her retirement, she enjoyed many close friendships from her years at Shanksville and was especially pleased when she encountered one of her former students. For many years she volunteered at the Somerset Hospital and later the World’s Attic.
Lea was predeceased by her husband, Robert S. McMinn in 2003, after 56 years of marriage. Lea became an avid snow skier, after reluctantly taking up the sport when her children began skiing in 1962. Her family skied at Hidden Valley regularly and enjoyed a week in Stowe, Vermont each year. She and her husband skied in Colorado, New Mexico, Canada, Austria and New Zealand. For many years she and her husband played bridge weekly with the Berlin “Bridge Club”, sharing wonderful friendship. Lea took flying lessons in order to “co-pilot” with her husband, who was a private pilot.
Lea was a member of the St. Paul’s Presbyterian Church, where she practiced her abiding faith. She enjoyed playing bridge, rummikub, dominos and other games with friends and family. Following her husband’s death in 2003, she relocated from their home in Berlin to Somerset in order to be closer to family. She maintained her Berlin friendships and enjoyed forming new ones in the Somerset community.
Lea is survived by her daughter Marsha McMinn Dykstra and husband Kent Dykstra of Somerset, her son Robert McMinn and wife Laura McMinn of Huntingdon, five grandchildren: Meredith Dykstra, Kelsey (Cole) Dykstra Wilson, Chase Dykstra, Spencer (Lauren) McMinn and Tara (Ryan) McMinn Wotus, as well as six great-grandsons: Everett, Robert, Aidan, Taylor, Leo, and Ezra. She played a wonderful role as the matriarch of her family, sharing her faith and joy in living at every turn.
In addition to her husband, she was predeceased by her brother Robert Addleman and his wife Betty, and her brother Laurence. She is also survived by her sister-in-law Patricia Addleman, and numerous loving nieces and nephews.
Lea will be remembered for her unique way of caring for others and her joyful and loving approach to sharing their lives. Her children, their spouses and her grandchildren and great-grandchildren have wondrous memories of their time together which they will forever cherish.
The family extends grateful thanks to the caregivers of In Touch Hospice, Somerset, who provided Lea with a remarkable level of care during her illness.
A memorial service will be held at 4 p.m. Saturday, October 1, 2022 at St. Paul’s Presbyterian Church, Somerset. The family requests the memorial contributions be made to the St. Paul’s Presbyterian Church, 1845 N. Center Ave., Somerset, PA 15501. Arrangements entrusted to Deaner Funeral Home, Berlin. DeanerFuneralsAndCremations.com.