Amalea (Leah) Anastos Butner

Amalea (Leah) Anastos Butner, 88, passed away on February 9, 2009 at her home. Leah was born in South Bend, Indiana, and lived most of her life there, until she became a resident of Reno in 1967.

She attended Central High School in South Bend, where she was the first female cheerleader for all three years. She was active in duplicate bridge clubs both in South Bend and Reno, and was a member of the American Contract Bridge League. Leah was an active member of St. Therese of the Little Flower Catholic Church in Reno. She was employed by the Battle Mountain Gold Co., for 20 years as a secretary-draftsman, and retired in 1988. She was also engaged for many years in the home building business in South Bend. She was an architect of some repute, and also acted as building contractor for over one hundred custom built homes in the South Bend area.

She was very active in bowling over the years, and was a member of several bowling leagues in Reno. She served as secretary-treasurer of the MGM Premier Winter League from 1971 - 2007 and the Elite Summer League from 1999 until 2007. She also served as secretary-treasurer of the MGM Premier Summer League from 1978 to 1999.

Leah was preceded in death by her first husband, Harold Wallace and second husband, Cory York. Surviving is her husband, Vaughn Butner of Reno. She is also survived by a brother and sister-in-law, James and Betty Anastos; three sons, Michael, James, and John Wallace; daughters- in-law, Kerry, Maeve, and Sue Wallace, all of South Bend, IN, Valerie (Jim) Pizzio, Sonoma, CA, and Karla (Mark) Osmun, California; son-in-law, Robert (Cristina) York, Boston, MA; sister-in-law, Verl (Bill) Sproul, Thousand Palms, CA, three nieces, three nephews, six grandchildren, and nine great-grandchildren all living in Indiana, Ohio, Texas, and Connecticut.

A visitation will be held from 4 to 6 p.m. on Thursday, February 12, 2009 at Walton Funeral Home, 875 W. 2nd Street, Reno, NV. A Requiem Mass will be celebrated at St. Therese Church of the Little Flower, 875 East Plumb Lane, Reno on Friday, February 13, 2009 at 10 a.m. Leah will be buried in Highland Cemetery, South Bend, Indiana. In lieu of flowers, donations may be made to the American Cancer Society, 6400 S. McCarran Blvd, Suite 40, Reno, NV 89509-6125.

Published by The Reno Gazette Journal and Lyon County News Leader on Feb. 11, 2009.

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