Pearl Leone Leavitt, 95, Minot and formerly of Mohall and Lansford, passed away on Wednesday, October 12, 2011 in Trinity hospital in Minot.

Pearl was born on October 3, 1916 on the family farm near Greene, ND to Andrew and Anna (Larson) Bengtson. She was reared on the family farm and attended rural schools at Greene and Grassland. Pearl graduated from Holden High School in Holden, Massachusetts in 1934. She worked at a summer resort in Jefferson, MA during the summer of 1936.

Pearl married Harold Leavitt on December 18, 1938 in Minot. They lived in California, Norfolk, Virginia and Boston, Massachusetts until 1940 when they moved to a farm in Grassland Township of Renville County where they farmed until retiring in 1975. From 1960 to 1965 they owned and managed the Lansford Lanes bowling alley, caf and lunch counter in Lansford, ND. They moved into Mohall in 1970, then purchased a home in Minot in 1977 where she lived and resided in her own home until her death. Her husband, Harold, passed away on April 25, 1986.

Pearl was a charter member of Messiah Lutheran Church in Greene until it closed and has now been attending the First Assembly of God Church in Minot. Her special times included, reading the Word of God, and sharing the gift the Lord had given her for writing poetry. She will be especially remembered for the annual Christmas poems that brought the true message of Christmas to life. She personally read and shared the gift of poetry with family and friends as well as during Bible studies and while visiting with nursing home residents.

Her loving family includes: sons: Richard (Marcia) Leavitt, Minot and David (Muriel) Leavitt, Mohall; 7 grandchildren: Roy (Leana) Leavitt, Brenda (Craig) Cerkowniak, Angela (Carl) Mueller, Kara (Guy) Guidinger, Matthew (Ashley) Leavitt, Michael (Thea) Holm and Robert (Traci) Holm; 9 great-grandchildren and several nieces, nephews and cousins.

Pearl was preceded in death by her husband, parents, brother, Harold Bengtson, sister, Margaret Trout and daughter-in-law, Glenda Leavitt.

Funeral service: Monday October 17th, 2011 at 11:00 a.m. in the First Assembly of God Church, Minot.
Interment: Sunset Memorial Gardens, Minot.
Visitation: Sunday from noon - 5:00 p.m. in Thomas Family Funeral Home, Minot.