Virginia Leist

Virginia Lee (Leatherman) Leist left this life on February 28, 2011, at the age of 93years, 9 months and 17 days. She was born May 11, 1917, in Cedarburg, Wisconsin, the first child of Hazel Loma Davis and Allen Guy Leatherman. Virginia was only a few months old when she returned to Laverne, OK with her parents, where she grew up and graduated from high school in May of 1937. After graduation she moved to Los Angeles, CA, to attend business school, planning to stay there until she graduated. But she had been writing her long-time boyfriend, Dallas Leist, while she was gone, and they both decided to come home to Laverne for Christmas. Dallas had been working in Pontiac, Michigan since the spring of 1935, and when they got together in Laverne with a group of their best friends on Christmas Eve, everyone decided it was the right time for a wedding. And Virginia and Dallas were married in the wee hours of December 25, 1937. Virginia and Dallas returned to Pontiac, Michigan, and then moved back home to Laverne in 1938. They later lived in other towns in the Laverne area and returned to Pontiac, and then settled permanently in Alva, OK in the summer of 1950, where they lived until Dallas’ death in 1966. Virginia lived in Alva until 1976, when she moved to Wichita, KS and operated a licensed in-home daycare there, where she collaborated with SRS Day Care Programs in developing menus and nutritional guidelines for childcare facilities in Wichita. She was still caring for children in her home when she retired in 1998 at the age of 81 and moved to Freedom, OK with her daughter. While Virginia lived in Alva, she worked as a Western Union Telegraph Operator, Red Cross Secretary and was an accomplished artist, working with Jack Hayward for many years helping to teach art. She was a loving wife and mother who always put her children and other family members first. Over the years, Virginia had many pets, and she cared for them dearly, while also supporting various humane societies. Virginia and Dallas were blessed with five children: Jan, Lana, Sherre, George and Ann. She was preceded in death by her husband Dallas, her parents, two grandsons and a son-in-law Don Enger. Virginia is survived by: Jan Enger; Lana and Alan Burkhart; Sherre and Brent Mawhirter; George and Linda Leist; Ann Felser and fiancé Max Carlson; three sisters: Bobbie Wyand, Alene Lee and Lora Hulbert; and many grandchildren, great-grandchildren and great-great grandchildren; nieces and nephews and loving friends, who will all miss her charm, wisdom and wit and her wonderful letters. PDF Printable Version

Virginia Leist

May 11, 1917 - February 28, 2011