BEND Leona Iolene Kriege Blasingame, 64, formerly of John Day, died June 1 at her home near Bend, following a two-year battle with double-hit lymphoma. A memorial service will be at 10 a.m. Saturday, June 8, at the Burns Elks Lodge.

Mrs. Blasingame was born Jan. 16, 1949, in Prineville, to Wesley G. and Geraldine J. Kriege. She began school at Ochoco Elementary in Prineville. In 1959, her family moved to Seneca, where she finished her elementary education. She attended Grant Union High School.

In 1966, she married Ralph Steelman, with whom she had two daughters, Tami and Christina. In 1975, the family moved to Burns, where she worked for the Education Service District for many years.

She was responsible for bringing fiberoptics to the Harney County area, and helped computerize the rural areas of the county. Up to the day of her death, she continued to help school districts in the Harney County area with their e-rate program to obtain funding.

On Sept. 1, 2001, she married Steven Blasingame at her Burns home, where they lived until 2004, when they moved to Bend.

She loved to hunt and fish, and be outdoors. She loved people, and having her family around her.

Survivors include her husband, Steven Blasingame of Bend; daughters, Tami Steelman (Eddie) Gonzales of the California Bay Area, and Christina Steelman (Paul) Olsen of Redmond; mother, Geraldine Kriege of Prineville; grandsons, Christopher (Rachel) Howes of Burns and Nick (Elizabeth) Howes of Bend; granddaughter, Katherine Katie Olsen of Redmond; great-grandson, Gabriel Howes of Bend; sisters, Linda (Fred) Fell and Georgia (Cecil) Morin, all of Prineville; a niece; two nephews; and many great-nieces and nephews.

Memorial contributions may be made to the charity of ones choice, through Whispering Pines Funeral Home, 185 N.E. 4th St., Prineville, OR 97754.