Leota M. (Harl) Schaper

Leota Mae (Harl) Schaper went to be with the Lord on Thursday, August 28, 2025. Services will be held at the Snyder & Hollenbaugh Funeral Home in Wapello on Tuesday, September 2, 2025 at 11:00am with a visitation starting at 10:00am.  Burial will be at the Wapello Cemetery following the service.  There will be a gathering of family and friends at the Louisa County Historical Society following the burial. In lieu of flowers, memorials may be made to the Louisa County Historical Society, or the Church of the Nazarene in Wapello, Iowa.  Online condolences may be made to the family by visiting Leota’s obituary at www.sandhfuneralservice.com

Born on May 31, 1934, in Winigan, Missouri, she was the daughter of Edgar and Helen Jones Harl. Leota was raised in Morning Sun, Iowa, and graduated from Wapello High School in 1951. Following high school, Leota married Dwight R. Schaper and they settled on their family farm in Columbus Junction where they raised their four children – Linda Bonnichsen, Sue Thomas (Bruce), Betty Jo Farnsworth and Kevin Schaper (Teresa). The children then blessed them with 10 grandchildren (Megan, Meredith, Alex, Jenna, Trevor, Kraig, Taylor, Lauryn, Jordyn and Sydney) and 11 great-grandchildren.

Once her children started school, Leota went to work outside the home at Weile’s Café and then spent 32 years at the Louisa County Home where she managed the laundry services. She loved interacting and making friends with the home’s residents. Upon retirement, Leota enjoyed spending time with family and friends, volunteering for various organizations, traveling, camping, sewing, reading, and solving word searches. She was also an active member of the Louisa County Historical Society, the Amecias Club, and the Church of the Nazarene until her death.

She is survived by her loving children, grandchildren, and great grandchildren; her brother, Winston (Joelean) Harl; and her special cousin, Gerald Lee Peck; sisters-in-law Valeen Ziegenhorn and Tena Harl, and nieces and nephews.

Leota was predeceased by her parents, Helen and Edgar; her loving husband of 64 years, Dwight Schaper; and her brothers Basil and Doug Harl and Kenneth Walsinger; sons-in-law Marvin McCulley and David Farnsworth.

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