A Lasting Gift to the Church That Shaped Generations

“I’m still here on this planet because of the prayers of my mother and father, Ethel and Clem, and my husband, John,” said Leone Cloepfil. “Their prayers have kept me going. I simply wanted to honor them.”

And honor them she did.

Last year, Leone made a heartfelt and generous gift to the Immaculate Conception Endowment through the Catholic Foundation of Eastern Montana—a testament to her unwavering love for her family, her parish, and her Catholic faith.

Leone was born and raised in Fort Benton, where generations of her family had made their home. Her grandfather, George Nagengast, arrived in 1913 and later brought his family to live there as dry land farmers. They too attended Immaculate Conception Church. George and his wife, Joanna, had 16 children. Five however tragically died at an early age and Joanna passed in 1929.

One of those children, Clem Nagengast, became Leone’s father and he truly was a pillar of the Immaculate Conception parish. Deeply committed, he founded the Knights of Columbus chapter and passed down a powerful Catholic legacy to his eight children. Though all but one of Leone’s siblings have since passed on, she fondly recalls their lives and the joy of growing up in a large family.

After graduating from Fort Benton High School, Leone went on to earn her degree from Carroll College in 1965, eventually becoming an art and English teacher. She was and still is an incredible artist.

Painting by Leone

Leone’s path took her to Idaho, then Nevada, where she met her beloved husband, John Cloepfil. John was a fellow educator and was a convert to the Catholic faith. Leone feels blessed to have been raised Catholic, but she remembers clearly how beautiful it was to watch her husband discover the faith.

Though they were unable to have children of their own, Leone and John selflessly answered the call to parenthood by adopting their son, Dean. Sadly, he passed away in 2001.

After decades of teaching and guiding others, they returned to Fort Benton in 1993 to retire and be closer to family. “John loved my family like his own,” she said. They knew Fort Benton was where they were meant to be.

In 2021, John passed away from cancer. In her sorrow, Leone found a desire to honor him in a beautiful way—and the family that shaped both their lives—through a charitable gift to the Immaculate Conception Endowment.

“I just wanted to do what I could after my husband passed,” Leone said humbly. “And I couldn’t think of anything better to do.”

Her gift ensures that Immaculate Conception parish will continue to serve the faithful in Fort Benton long into the future. “They’ll always get a little bit,” she says, referring to the endowment’s promise of perpetual support. “I like that. I would like to see the Immaculate Conception community continue in Fort Benton.”

For Leone, the parish holds a lifetime of memories. The church was the backdrop to so many chapters in her family’s story, and through her gift, she helps write its future.

Leone’s faith continues to be her anchor as she battles health struggles. Her story is one of resilience, devotion, and deep gratitude. And her legacy, like her family’s roots in Fort Benton, will live on in the very heart of the Church she’s always called home.