Leona Knight was born Leona Weiczorkiewicz to Stanley Weiczorkiewicz and Rosa Krzyzaniak on 12 May 1921. Sometime in the 1930s, the family transitioned to the surname of Knight (wieczór in Polish translates to evening or night) as Leona was listed in the 1937 through 1939 Central Catholic high school yearbooks with the surname of Knight. Stanley was a city councilman, a court interpreter, city fireman, and owned a pharmacy on Stickney Avenue.

The family resided on Austin St., and Leona had two brothers: Elmer and John. Her mother, Rose, was the sibling of Hedwig Krzyzaniak, wife of John Przybylski (Seblaski).

Leona graduated from Central High School in 1939 and obtained a degree in philosophy from Toledo University (now known as the University of Toledo). Leona ended up as a writer for the Blade for a few years and then went on as a personality on air for WSPD radio. As a writer for the Toledo Blade, Leona published an article on Abraham Lincoln, an opinion piece based on the perspective of Lincoln’s William Herndon. Lincoln was annoying to his partner: Lincoln read aloud while working, his room was disorderly, and Lincoln lacked organizational and management skills. Though a good lawyer, Lincoln had no money sense and was not a political economist–he was unable to deal with financial concerns with the government or his own household. The entire piece was published in the Toledo Blade on 12 February 1943 and can be read here.

Leona began working at WSPD in 1945, her new post was announced in Broadcasting, the Weekly Newsmagazine of Radio. (See page 50 in the link.) In 1957, Leona was in the first group of American women broadcasters to tour Russia after a briefing at the White House, as reported in Broadcasting and Telecasting in 1957. (See page 82 in the link.) The group presented the first ever American fashion show in Russia.

In the 1950s, Leona become something of a Toledo socialite organizing and participating in fashion and style shows, the Toledo Woman’s Club, the Toledo Tennis Club Tourney, and a Home Economics Conference at Bowling Green State University. Additionally, it was mentioned in her obituary that she presented a baby puma as a gift from the Toledo Zoo to Prince Rainier and Princess Grace of Monaco and was an overnight guest in the palace in Monaco.

In a Toledo Blade article dated 1 February 1959 (jump to page 30 in the browser viewer), Leona was named as one of 29 Toledo residents named in the first edition of the “Who’s Who of American Women.” Leona was cited as a radio broadcaster on staff of WSPD since 1945 and active in philanthropic drives. She was active in the Muscular Dystrophy and American Cancer Societies.

Leona remained active in philanthropy after retiring from WSPD in 1972. Her retirement came shortly after her marriage on 9 October 1971 to Robert Evans. She died on 25 August 1988.