JoAnn Frances Leiker died Saturday, June 13, 2020, in hospice near her family in Lake Worth, Florida.
She was born Jan. 4, 1941, in Ellis County to Alois and Rosa Ruder. In 1959, she graduated from Girls Catholic High School.
On September 17, 1960, she was united in marriage to John H. Leiker in Hays, and they celebrated nearly 60 years of marriage. She worked in the Ellis County Courthouse for many years until the family moved to Denver in 1973, where she worked as an accountant and owned her own accounting business. She was a founding member of Spirit of Christ Catholic Community Church in Arvada. JoAnn was the life of the party, loved to be social, went on several cruises, and loved traveling the world.
Survivors include her husband John, three daughters: Jacqualyne Leiker-Worters (Randy Worters), Janelle (Darrell) Downs, and Janine Leiker (Ed Harrison), and three grandchildren, Amber Worters, Jared Downs and Trina Downs.
She was preceded in death by her parents; three sisters, Merilda Dinges, Esther Ruder and Norine Nemecek; two brothers, Vernon Ruder and Victor Ruder; father and mother-in-law: Henry S. and Regina Leiker, two brothers-in-law: Danny Leiker and Louis Mueggenberg, a sister-in-law: Janet Leiker, a niece: Chelly Schmidt, and two great-nephews: Jason Dinges and Mike Dinges.
Mass of Christian Burial will be at 10:00 am on Monday, July 19, 2021, at Immaculate Heart of Mary Catholic Church, with Fr. Nick Parker officiating. Inurnment will follow in St. Joseph Cemetery. The family will receive friends from 9:00 am until service time at the church. Recitation of the rosary will be at 9:30 am. Memorials are suggested to the Alzheimer’s Association, P.O. Box 96011, Washington, DC 20090-6011. Services are entrusted to Hays Memorial Chapel Funeral Home. Condolences and memories of JoAnn may be shared with the family at www.haysmemorial.com