LEROY — Leona “Lee” Albert, of LeRoy, formerly Leona Young of Clinton,  will celebrate her 90th birthday with an open house at LeRoy Country Club on Saturday, October 27, from 2-4 p.m.  

She was born on October  23, 1928, in Sesser, Ill. and was delivered at home by her aunt.  She is the eldest of Hubert and Murnia Boswell’s 12 children.  

Her siblings are Bonnie Karr, of Clinton, Nova Friend, of El Paso, Ill., Don (Linda) Boswell, of Atlanta, Ga., Ron (JoAnn) Boswell of Grenada, Miss., Juanita Whitehouse, of Gibson City, Kenneth Boswell, of Bloomington, and Steven Boswell, of Kappa, Ill.  Two brothers, Max Boswell and Charles “Chuck” Boswell and two sisters, Betty Murphy and Stella “Jeri” Jacobs are deceased. 

Lee married Merle Young on March 27, 1948.  Lee, known as “Shorty” when she and Merle lived in Clinton, was a homemaker and active in her children’s school activities.  After Merle’s death from a boating accident on May 10, 1964, she married Robert “Bob” Albert, on February 26, 1965, and moved to LeRoy.  

Lee remained a stay-at-home mom but also helped with the family farming operation.  She drove tractors, ran the combine, hauled in grain, took meals to the field and all the other duties that go along with being a farm wife.  Bob passed away on March 12, 2012.

Her children, also known as “Yours, Mine and Ours” are Gary (Kate) Young of Maylene, Ala., Jerry (Bonnie) Albert, of LeRoy, Linda (Rod) Ramsey, of LeRoy, Sheila (Larry) Swartz, of Arlington, Tenn., and Monti (Nicki) Albert, of LeRoy.  A son, Vince Albert, of Heyworth and a daughter, Karen (Lenny) Lindstrom, of LeRoy are deceased.  

She has 14 grandchildren, 30 great-grandchildren and 1 great-great grandchild.  One granddaughter is deceased.

Lee is an avid golfer and got a hole-in-one while playing in a golf league in Florida, when she and Bob spent winters there.  Lee has belonged to LeRoy Country Club for over 50 years and was the Women’s Club Champion in 1980, 1988, 1989 and 1996.  She has been a member of the Tuesday Night Ladies Golf League for most of those 50 years, including this year. 

She has participated in many golf events at LeRoy Country Club, including the annual Calcutta and Filly Race.  By far the oldest participant in the 2018 Filly Race, her penchant for always being in the middle of the fairway earned her 4th place.  Her daughter took 5th place.

Lee also enjoys spending time with family and friends, including her LeRoy Presbyterian Church “family” and playing bridge.