Leone “Emma” Britton
Class of 1925

(1907 - December 11, 2006)

Leone “Emma” Britton, 99 ½, of Florida, and formerly of Newaygo County, passed away on Dec. 11, 2006.

Leone was the seventh daughter and 11th child of Milton and Nellie Britton, lifelong residents of Newaygo County. Leone graduated from Fremont High School and later became an honor graduate of the Marion Louise Withey School of Nursing in Grand Rapids. After several years of private nursing and night supervision, she became the chief nurse of Huizenga Memorial Hospital in Zeeland. In 1940 Leone enrolled in the University of Michigan School of Public Nursing, and between semesters worked at the Ottawa County Health Department in Grand Haven.

In 1942, as a Red Cross Nurse, she was called into the military service with the Army Nurse Corps (ANC) where she served for 20 years. Her tours of duty included the United States, Surgeon General’s Office in Washington, DC, European and Pacific Theaters. While stationed at McCormick General Hospital she worked in recruitment for the ANC in the California area. While stationed at Valley Forge, Pennsylvania, she was awarded a citation by the Army, Navy and Air Force for an improvement on the iron lung used for poliomyelitis patients.

In 1963, Leone retired as a Lt. Colonel and settled in the Dunedin, Florida area where she enjoyed helping people and volunteered many hours. She was a member of the First Church of Christ Scientist in Dunedin, Florida and the Mother Church in Boston, Massachusetts. She had been active in various committees in the church.

Leone is survived by numerous nieces and nephews.

Memorial services will be held on Saturday, Aug. 11, at 11 a.m. at the First Baptist Church in Fremont, with interment in the Maple Grove Cemetery. Friends may consider a charity of the donor’s choice for memorial contributions in memory of Leone. Friends may also send a condolence or share a memory online at www.crandellfh.com. Arrangements by Crandell Funeral Home – Fremont Chapel.