Leona Rose Vadnais and Thomas William Whitrock (Part 1 of 3)

Adlore and Ellen Vadnais’ 8^th child, Leona Rose, was born on Wednesday, April 4, 1923 at the family home on 4^th Street in White Bear Lake; Adlore was 33 years old and Ellen was 34 years old.¹ Leona’s five siblings: 13 year old George, 11 year old Charles, 5 year old Florence, 3 year old Richard and almost 2 year old Mona, welcomed her to the family. Had Leona been born one day later, she would have shared her birthday with her sister Mona.² Lawrence and Henry, 2 of Leona’s older brothers, had passed away by the time she was born.

**Leona Rose Vadnais Minnesota Record of Birth**

Leona was baptized by Father John Fahey at St. Mary of the Lake Church in White Bear Lake on April 29, 2023.³ Her grandaunt and granduncle, Leona Rose “Lena” (Derosier) Houle and Thomas Houle are shown as her godparents; Thomas is also Leona’s 2^nd cousin twice removed. Lena and Thomas lived a few blocks away on 3^rd Street between Miller and Murray Avenues. I wonder if Leona was named after her godmother.

**Rose Leona Vadnais Baptismal record, St. Mary of the Lake Church**
In 1943 Leona’s marriage to Thomas W. Whitrock was also recorded on the record.

In February 1925 Leona welcomed her next younger sibling, John (Jack) followed the next year by Marguerite.^{4, 5} Her last 2 siblings, Gordon (Gordy) and Anna Mae were born, respectively, in 1928 and 1930.^{6, 7}

**Circa 1925 – Leona, about 2 years old**

**Circa 1928 – Leona, about 5 years old, on the east side of the family home at 1309 Fourth Street, White Bear Lake**
You may not be able to see it, but it appears that Leona might be proudly showing off the loss of an upper front tooth.

**Circa 1927 – (left to right) Jack, Marguerite and Leona in front of their home at 1309 Fourth Street**

**Circa 1929 – (left to right) Jack, Leona and Marguerite on the sidewalk in front of 1309 Fourth Street**

**Circa 1929 – Postman Bill Sandahl, Leona and her youngest brother Gordy on the front steps at 1309 Fourth Street**

**Circa 1929 – Leona (left) and Marguerite (right) playing with their younger brother Gordy in the field behind their home**

Leona, also known as Lee, like many of her siblings before her, attended St. Mary’s School through the 8^th grade.

**1934 – St. Mary’s School, 4^th grade with Sister Gudella, Leona is near the top standing in front of the 3^rd and 4^th boys in the back row**

**Circa 1935 – St. Mary’s School, Leona is in the 3^rd row, 2^nd from the right**

**St. Mary’s School, class play with Leona (2^nd row, 2^nd from the right) dressed as a bug of some sort (?)**

In 1938 Leona graduated from 8^th grade at St. Mary’s. Her first cousin, Doris Heckel, was also in her class.

**1938 – St. Mary’s School, 8^th grade graduation class, Leona is on the right in the 2^nd row next to Father Fahey and her cousin, Doris Heckel, is the 2^nd girl from the left in the fourth row**

**1938-39, Leona holding her first nephew, Jerome (Jerry) Vadnais**
Leona is standing outside of the house at 919 (now 4949) Stewart Avenue, White Bear Lake where Jerry’s parents, George and Fran, were living at the time.

In the Fall of 1938 Leona started school at White Bear High School. By this time the family was living at 411 Bald Eagle Avenue, and had been for several years, so high school was a walk of just a few blocks each day. During her time in high school Leona was active in Home Economics, G.A.A. (Girls’ Athletic Association), O.S.K. club and the Drum and Bugle Corp.^{8, 9, 10, 11}

**1941 – Leona is shown bottom left and her sister Mona, a senior, is 3^rd from the right in the front row**

**1942 – Leona is in the 3^rd row, 6^th from the left in the dark coat**

**1942 – O.S.K. club, Leona is on the left in the 2^nd row**

**1941 – Drum and Bugle Corp, Leona is at the back corner on the right (I put an arrow pointing to her)**

In the 1942 Matoskan there were a few pages where conjectures were made about the future of the seniors. The following, even though it did not come to fruition, was written about Leona.¹²