Visitation will also be held at the church on Thursday from 9:30am until time of service.

 

 

     LEILA M. HALPIN, age 88, of Loyal, WI, passed away on Thursday, May 16, 2024 at her home.  Funeral services will be held at 11 am on Thursday, May 23, 2024, at St. Anthony Catholic Church in Loyal.  Rev. Emmanuel Famiyeh will officiate, and burial will follow in the parish cemetery.  Pallbearers will be: Eric Halpin, Ben Vechinski, Cody Halpin, Jake Halpin, Nick Halpin, Ryan Ritchie, Mark Harm & Nate Harm.  Visitation will be held at the church on Wednesday, May 22, 2024, from 4pm to 8pm and again on Thursday from 9:30 am until time of service.

     Leila Mae Banks was born on April 17, 1936, in Rib Lake, WI, the daughter of Clarence H. and Mary E. (Ehrenreich) Banks.  She grew up and received her education in Rib Lake, graduating from Rib Lake High School in 1954.  Leila received a full three-year scholarship to  St. Joseph's School of Nursing in Marshfield, WI, and graduated as a Registered Nurse in 1957.  During her junior year she met the love of her life Dennis R. Halpin.  They married on May 24, 1958, at St. John Catholic Church in Rib Lake. They established their home on a farm Northeast of Loyal and raised eight children.  Leila worked at St. Joseph's Hospital in Marshfield as a registered nurse until her fourth child was born in 1964.  She then focused her efforts on family and farm life.

     In 1991, she began working at Norwood Health Center in Marshfield and enjoyed her time there as a psychiatric nurse.  Dennis was diagnosed with multiple myeloma in 1988 and fought valiantly until he was welcomed into eternal rest in 1999.  Leila retired from Norwood in November of 2008.  She continued to live on the farm where she loved gardening, flowers, bird watching and working side by side with Dennis.  Her continued perseverance and help from her family allowed her to stay at home.

     She was a member of St. Anthony Catholic Church and its P.C.C.W.  She had many interests and especially loved spending time with her family and friends.  Leila was an avid reader and loved to share books with June, her very dear friend.  She also enjoyed cooking and baking, both her favorite recipes and new ones.  In addition, she loved to embroider, sew, and even taught herself to knit.  She spent many summer days on Lake Namakagon.  Leila loved her Green Bay Packers, listening to music, watching car and horse racing, and basketball games, and was an immense supporter of Mission Myeloma, Inc., and many other nonprofit interests.

     Leila will be dearly missed by her 8 children: Steve (Julie Vavrosky) of Bloomington, MN, Terry (Mike) Vechinski of Wausau, Pat (Jenny) of Greenwood, Mike (Kim) of Loyal, Danny (Lisa) of Loyal, Sue (Tom) Ritchie of Menomonie, Becky (Ken) Harm of Spencer, and Mary (Craig) Voss of Kimberly; 21 grandchildren: Tara (Paul) Harycki, Chelsie (Jackson) McMahon, Krystal (Jay) Groninger, Zach (Annie) Halpin, Eric Halpin, Evan Halpin, Ben (Noor) Vechinski, Tanya (Cliff) Parker, Terra Schwark, Lee Hoffman, Cody (Sara) Halpin, Jake Halpin, Justin Halpin, Nick (Mallory) Halpin, Ryan (Peyton) Ritchie, Luke Ritchie, Mark (Morgan) Harm, Nathan Harm (fiancé Alyssa Stoiber), Alaina Voss, Ellie Voss, and Sidney Voss; 16 great-grandchildren: Jada, Sam, Abe, Eli, Aleah, Quinn, Nora, Ivy, Leila, Kassidy, Damien, Damian, Ashley, Brittany, Finley, Camden and great-grandbaby #17 due in September.

     She will also be dearly missed by her sister Nancy (Norm) Hahn of Eau Claire, her life-long friend June Hoeser, along with nieces, nephews, other relatives, and many special friends.

     She was preceded in death by her parents, her husband, Dennis, on October 9, 1999, one sister, Barbara Scheller, and brother, Ronnie Banks.

     In lieu of flowers, Leila's family asks that donations be given to Mission Myeloma, Inc. in support for Denny’s battle with multiple myeloma and all others who struggle with this cancer; www.missionmyeloma.org.  Mission Myeloma, Inc. (a 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization) was co-founded by Dennis and Leila’s daughter, Mary, to support patients and their families affected by multiple myeloma and to fund research for a cure.

     The family would like to thank Compassus Home Health for their support.

     Online condolences may be expressed at www.cuddiefh.com.

     Cuddie Funeral Home of Loyal, WI is assisting the family with arrangements.