Leann Ruth Pendergast

Leann Ruth Pendergast was born April 27, 1963 in Craig, CO to Vernon and Donna (Peterson) Stiegelmeyer. She passed peacefully on March 7, 2023 surrounded by her loved ones. A celebration of life will be held at a later date. 

Leann and her family moved around between Minnesota and Colorado as she grew up. She met the love of her life, Chris, and they married on May 21, 1997 in Nucla, CO. They moved to Cortez and started their family. Leann gained a daughter, Kenda, when she and Chris married and together, they had two sons, Gabriel and Joe Wayne. 

Some of Leann’s favorite things were her garden, camping, fishing, her critters (including her childhood pet pigeon, PJ) and canning for all her family and friends. She was a great cook and was famous for her home-canned pickles. Everyone fought over them and you should feel special if you were ever the recipient of a jar of her pickles.  

Her boys were her whole world and she loved them unconditionally. She adored each and every one of her nieces and nephews and thought of so many others as her family. Everyone who knows Leann knows she loved having family and friends (that were more like family) over to entertain in her home. Leann had such a huge heart and she never met a stranger. She was loved as much as she loved! Everyone who met her loved her! 

She is survived by her husband, Chris Pendergast of Cortez, CO; her son Joe Wayne of Cortez, CO; her stepdaughter, Kenda (Cliff) Hopkins of Fruita, CO; granddaughter, Lylah Hopkins and grandson, Carter Hopkins, both of Fruita, CO; her siblings Scott (Kim) Stiegelmeyer of Dolores, CO, Paula Lively of Dolores, CO, Brad Stiegelmeyer of Sun City West, AZ, Diana Hershberger (Bob Barton) of Cortez, CO, Guy (Jeanne) Stiegelmeyer of Jefferson, TX, Vern (Jeanie) Stiegelmeyer of Avinger, TX and Adam Stiegelmeyer (Candice Francis) of Mancos, CO; and by numerous nieces, nephews, great-nieces, great-nephews and many others that she thought of as family. 

She was preceded in death by her parents, Vernon and Donna Stiegelmeyer; her son, Gabriel Pendergast; her sister-in-law Dee Stiegelmeyer; sister-in-law Pam Stiegelmeyer; brother-in-law Gary Lively; her dear friend Tiny Higman, Randy Kirks and Joe Castle.