R. Nadine Ledford

Nadine Ledford (nee McKay) died Sunday, September 30, 2012. She had suffered complications from an extended illness at Hope Creek Care Center in East Moline.
Visitation for Nadine is scheduled from 4 to 7 p.m. on Thursday, October 4, 2012, at Esterdahl Funeral Home, 6601 38th Ave. (John Deere Rd.), Moline. Funeral services begin at 11 a.m. Friday, October 5, 2012, at the funeral home. Pastor John Markum from Edgewood Baptist Church, Rock Island, will officiate. Interment will be in Greenview Memorial Gardens, Avenue of the Cities, East Moline. Memorials can be made to Hope Creek Care Center, East Moline, or American Alzheimer's Association.
Nadine, age 84, was a longtime resident of the Quad-Cities, having lived in Carbon Cliff and Moline as well as East Moline.
Nadine was born in the town of Osgood, Mo., the only daughter of Velma (Pratt) and Gilbert McKay. She played basketball and maintained excellent grades in high school while still having fun and doing chores on the family farm.
Also during high school, she met her beloved future husband, Howard Ledford. They married January 11, 1947, in Missouri, and Nadine worked at Brown Shoe Co. in Kirksville. Their first son was born in Kirksville and the family moved a few miles west to Reger, Mo., where they operated a grocery store and gas station. After several years, they moved to Carbon Cliff when Howard began working at the Alcoa Aluminum plant in Bettendorf. Soon, their second son, Ronald, was born, and they later moved to East Moline.
During the 1960s, Nadine first worked as an order processor at Buddy L, a popular manufacturer of metal toy trucks in East Moline. When the company moved its operations to the south, Nadine found work in the business office at Black Hawk College, Moline. She remained there until her retirement.
Along the way, she built solid bonds with friends and colleagues. "Girls like Nadine taught us professional office practices," said one co-worker. "She was a great support for everyone she met. She gave us a priceless education. She was just a lovely lady."
"I have lost my best friend," a close friend said. "Nadine was a sweet, kind, loving person. We treasure our memories with her, and we will all miss her deeply."
Nadine and Howard worked hard so they could spend leisure time together using their small boat for trips up and down the Mississippi, and a truck and camper for their many trips to the sandy beaches of Florida and the pristine mountains of the western United States.

Family was precious to them. Every new baby was "the most beautiful child in the world". Two grandsons and three granddaughters kept the couple busy: football, track, dance, basketball, baseball, softball, soccer and golf. It didn't matter if the grandchild was the star; just watching him or her participate made them proud.

Nadine was preceded in death by her parents, three brothers, and her beloved husband, who died on March 13, 1992.

Nadine is survived by two loving sons: Adrian and Penny of Naperville, Ill, and Ronald and Sue of Rock Island; and five grandchildren: Todd of Naperville, Ill; Anne and her fiancé, Anthony Chesser, of Waukegan, Ill.; Andrew, Angela and Abigail, all of Rock Island; and many nieces, nephews and friends.
Online condolences may be left for her family by visiting www.esterdahl.com.