North Haverhill, NH-  Leila I. McDanolds, 86, of Dartmouth College Highway, died on Monday, January 20, 2020 at the Grafton County Nursing Home in North Haverhill.

Leila was born in Unity, NH on January 12, 1934 to John Arthur and Irja (Koski) Wirkkala.  She was a graduate of Steven High School in Claremont and of Keene State College.

For over 40 years, Leila was a school teacher in Pembroke, Claremont, and Charlestown where she taught third grade.

When she was younger, she worked on the family farm, and the Koski Farm in Unity, performing all duties from milking cows to bringing in the hay.  Leila enjoyed horseback riding, cross-country skiing with her dogs, and snowmobiling.  Along with her husband, Richard, she loved traveling across the USA and parts of Canada. Leila was an active member of the Northeast Two Cylinder Club, serving as its secretary, and helped organize their tractor pulling events and plow days.  She worked with the North Haverhill Fair Association and its tractor pulling events.

She was predeceased by two daughters, Nancy and Annie Thibault and by her brother, David Wirkkala.

She is survived by her husband of nearly 24 years, Richard McDanolds of North Haverhill, to whom she was married on February 29, 1996; a daughter, Patricia Thibault of Las Vegas, NV; three step sons, Wayne McDanolds, Stuart McDanolds and wife Deb, and Cory McDanolds and wife Terri all of North Haverhill; four step grandchildren and eight step great grandchildren; two sisters, Carol Eddy of Lempster, NH and Alyce Ruggles of Toomsuba, MS; a brother, Aarni Wirkkala, Sr. of Newport, NH; and nieces, nephews, and cousins.

Calling hours will be on Friday, January 31 ^st from 12:30 to 2 PM with a memorial service beginning at 2 PM led by Melissa Gould as Funeral Celebrant, at Ricker Funeral Home, 1 Birch Street, Woodsville, NH.

Burial will be in the spring in the old section of Horse Meadow Cemetery in North Haverhill.