Lenora Ruth Buie, 88, of Manhattan passed away December 4, 2019 at Ascension/Via Christi Village in Manhattan, KS.
She was born November 24, 1931 in Manhattan, Kansas, the daughter of Daniel Horace Buie and Thelma Ruth (Newman) Buie. Lenora graduated from Abilene High School in 1951 and attended the University of Kansas as well as Kansas State University, where she completed studies in Childhood Development and Education.
Lenora was owner and head teacher of Lee's Pre-School and Day Care Center in Manhattan in the early 70's. She received commendation from the Federal Department of Childhood Development and Education for the Quality of her directorship of pre-school education at Lee's Pre-School and Day Care Center.
She was manager of Colorado Plaza in Manhattan, Kansas for 21 years, retiring in 2001. HUD recognized her for her "superior" directorship of Section 8 housing at Colorado Plaza.
Lenora spent her retirement years doing volunteer work throughout the community including St. Joseph's (now Ascension/Via Christi) Retirement Village, Mercy Regional Health Center (now Ascension/Via Christi) and the First Presbyterian Church where she was then a member. As her faith continually strengthened, she asked to be received into the Catholic Faith. On October 24, 2018 she was baptized and received her First Holy Communion as a member of St. Thomas More, Manhattan, KS in the chapel at Ascension/Via Christi.
During her youth, Lenora was the first Girl Scout to be awarded a second curve bar for achievement over and beyond expectations of the requirements for the first curve bar.
Lenora was preceded in death by her parents, her twin brother, Neill (Margaret) Buie of Wamego, Kansas, and her sister-in-law, Anne (Dan) Buie of Wellesley Hills, Massachuetts. She is survived by her three children, Julie Rejzer of Hampton, Virginia, Vicky Weldon, of Frederick, Maryland and George Claunch, Jr. and his wife, Vicki, of Shreveport, Louisiana; a brother, Dr. Dan H. Buie, Jr. of Wellesley, Massachusetts, her sister-in-law Margaret Buie of Manhattan, Kansas (formerly of Wamego, Kansas, ten grandchildren; several great-grandchildren; five nieces and one nephew.
Lenora was cremated. Celebration of Life Service will be held 1:00 P.M. Tuesday, December 17th, at St. Joseph’s Chapel at Ascension Via Christi Village, Manhattan, Kansas, with Deacon Larry Erpelding officiating. Private inurnment will be in the Abilene Cemetery, Abilene, Kansas.
Memorial contributions, in lieu of flowers, may be made to “YES for Liberty” or Ascension Via Christi Village, and may be left in care of the Yorgensen-Meloan-Londeen Funeral Home, 1616 Poyntz Avenue, Manhattan, KS 66502. Because of Lenora's desire for "passing the goodness on" along with her firm faith in God and her belief in the Constitution of the United States of America. She chose for memorial gifts to be given either to St. Joseph’s Chapel at Ascension/Via Christi, Manhattan, KS, where her faith has been continually strengthened during this chapter of her life or to the Youth Educational Scholarship, "YES for Liberty". The Constitution Bee Scholarship Program assists 9th - 12th grade students in furthering their educational pursuits.