Hurley, Wis.- Leona "Lee" Pegoraro, 86, of
Ironwood, Mich., died Monday, Jan. 17, 2011, in Hurley.      The former Leona Lenart was born Dec. 24, 1924
in Ironwood, daughter of the late Kazmer and Laura (Wierzbicki) Lenart, attended
Ironwood schools, and graduated from L.L. Wright High School in 1942. After
graduation, she attended Woodward Business College in Ironwood for a short time
and then went to work in Detroit and Cadillac, Mich. Later she went to
Elizabeth, N.J. where she was employed by the Singer Manufacturing Co. as an
office worker. She then joined the U.S. Marine Corps Women's Reserve on March
14, 1945.      On July 11, 1946, Lee was discharged from the
Marine Corps with the rank of corporal and returned to Ironwood where she was
employed by Clifford Trethewey for the VA on terminal leave pay. In the latter
part of 1946 she went to Rockford, Ill. where she worked until returning to
Ironwood in August of 1959, then was employed by Simpson Electric Co. in Mercer
for a short time. She worked as secretary to Ironwood City Clerk Grant
McCullough as well as the Board of Review from 1960 to March 14, 1966, and was
employed as Deputy Probate Register for the Gogebic Co. Probate Court until
April 17, 1979, when she was appointed Probate Register, retiring on Jan. 2,
1990.      Lee was a member of Our Lady of Peace Catholic
Church in Ironwood and the former St. Michael's Catholic Church, and was a
member of Ironwood American Legion Post 5, having served as past president of
the Legion Auxiliary. Her hobbies included golf, bowling and playing
bingo.      She married Luke Pegoraro in 1949 in Rockford.
They later divorced.      Surviving are a son, Luke A. (Laura), Little
Canada, Minn., and daughter, Laurie Barkman, Cadiz, Ky.; five grandchildren,
Allison Pegoraro and Rachel Pegoraro, both of Minneapolis, and Mary Ann Barkman,
Lynette Goode, and Heather Barnes, all of Hopkinsville, Ky.; seven
great-grandchildren, Otto, Sophie. Ronald, Hayli, Tanner, Jade and Brylee; a
brother, Jerome Lenart, Alpena, Mich.; and three sisters, Betty Vernetti,
Rockford, and Eleanor Kinnunen and Pauline Rabideau, both of
Ironwood.      Besides her parents, she was preceded in death
by her son-in-law, John Barkman, on July 11, 2009.      Out of respect for Lee's wishes, cremation has
taken place.      A Mass of Christian Burial will be celebrated
Thursday, Jan. 20, at noon, at Our Lady of Peace Catholic Church in Ironwood,
with the Rev. Darryl J. Pepin, celebrant.      Rite of Committal will take place in the St.
Joseph Family Room at the church, where full military honors will be accorded by
the Ironwood American Legion Post 5 Honor Guard.      Luncheon will follow in the parish
hall.      Spring interment will be in Riverside
Cemetery, Ironwood.      Relatives and friends may call in the St.
Joseph Family Room at the church from 11 a.m. until noon on Thursday.      In lieu of flowers, memorial contributions may
be made to the Our Lady of Peace Adopt-A-Student Program.      To view Lee's obituary online, sign the
guestbook and express condolences, visit
mckevittpatrickfuneralhome.com.      Arrangements are entrusted to McKevitt-Patrick
Funeral Home and Cremation Services of Ironwood.