Leota (Shrock) Mann Obituary

Leota E. Shrock Mann died on October 29, 2025 in Rockford, Illinois. Leota was born in Goshen, Indiana on December 3, 1933 to Delton and Esther Whirledge Shrock.

She was the most beloved wife of Lester LeVon Mann who preceded her in death on September 11, 2015. Their children are Karen (Bruce) Harbach, Brent (Velma) Mann, Gail (Byron) Shetler, and Janine (Lyle)Hawkinson. Leota’s beloved grandchildren and great-grandchildren were very important to her as well as their interests: Katie (Jeremy) Schulz (Zane and Dexter), Douglas Harbach, Leanne (Jake) Heen (Ethan), Ryan Mann, Andrea (James) Durrett, Lavonne Shetler, Jacob (Abby) Shetler, Anna Shetler (Ryan Taylor), Kenneth (Brittany) Hawkinson (Riley, Liam, and Emma), and Sara (Chase) Grauel (Cayden, Myles, and Cara).

Leota graduated valedictorian in the Class of 1951 from Jefferson High School, Elkhart County, IN. Throughout her life Leota was involved in music. She played the timpani and bass drum in the high school band. She sang alto for many years in Freeport Choral Society; and thoroughly enjoyed her time singing with a select sextet of women from Freeport Mennonite Church, The Chapel Singers. Leota also enjoyed playing piano and singing with her family.

During the 1970’s Leota was very involved with leadership at the Freeport YWCA. She spent many hours raising funds for the mission of the Y to help women in all spectrums of their lives. She especially enjoyed organizing the yearly YWCA Book Sale.

Church was always a center of Leota’s life. She taught weekly adult Sunday School for many years. Her yellow legal pad ready with all the things she learned during that week’s lesson preparation. Leota also was a devoted member of the women’s mission society at Freeport Mennonite Church. Her leadership skills were often called into use in the wider church especially in the Illinois Conference of Mennonite Church USA.

She did mission work with LeVon at Macha Mission Hospital in Zambia, Africa. Where she led women’s Bible studies and was the hostess for unit doing their many years of service there.

Leota loved her flower garden and instilled a love of the natural world with her children at an early age. She was always aware of the wonderous world that God had made for her to enjoy. Her bird watching enthusiasm continued until her death.

She was preceded in death by her parents, her brother, Delton L. Shrock; two sisters, Lucille (George) Eicher and Elizabeth Nagy; and daughter-in-law Kathy Mann.

In lieu of flowers donations can be made to Freeport Mennonite Church Meat Canning, 3416 E. Brick School Road, Freeport, IL 61032 or the Freeport Area Church Cooperative, 514 South Chicago Avenue, Freeport, IL 61032.

Visitation will be on Friday, November 7 from 4:00-8:00p.m. at Freeport Mennonite Church. There will be a family burial at 10:00a.m. prior to the memorial service. Memorial service will be on Saturday, November 8th at 11:00a.m. at Freeport Mennonite Church. Please sign Leota Mann’s guestbook and share a memory at www.burketubbs.com.