Leah Jean Bakel Obituary (1929 - 2019)

Leah Jean (Biagini) Bakel, 90, of Toluca, passed away quietly in her sleep on Sunday September 1, 2019, at St. Joseph's Nursing Home, Lacon. Visitation will be Friday September 6, 2019, from 10:00 to 11:00 am at Calvert-Johnson & Froelich Memorial Home, Toluca. Mass of Christian will follow at 11:00 am at St. Ann's Church, Toluca. The Franciscan Friars will officiate. Burial will follow at St. Ann's Cemetery. Memorials may be made to the charity of the Donors' Choice. Leah was born on June 22, 1929 in Toluca, IL to Primo and Angelina (Santi) Biagini. She married Roger Bakel on June 21, 1952 at St. Ann's Church. She is survives by her husband, three daughters, Paula Sampson, of Colorado Springs, Colorado, Debora Bakel, of Peoria, Monica Bakel, of LaSalle, and one son Paul Bakel, of Austin, TX, four grandchildren, Krystal Miller, Kelsey Erickson, William Bakel, Angelina Medina; six great-grandchildren, Kanyon Miller, Viktoria Miller, Rebekka Miller, Evan Erickson, Dean Erickson and Joel Medina. Leah was devoted to her family and spent 30 years living in many places, including France and Spain while her husband was in the Air Force. She was a great cook and very active in the Catholic Churches at the various places she lived. In 1976, Roger retired from the military and they settled in Toluca where they built a home and lived there until she moved to St Joseph's Nursing Home in 2010. Her husband Roger also moved there last year. She will be greatly missed by her family and other who knew her.