Leta M Quigley

Leta Quigley, 85, of Burr Ridge, formerly of The Villages, Florida, passed away on October 14, 2019, from complications of cancer. She was a loving Mother and beloved Nana.

Leta was married for 60 years to Roger, a good-looking Northerner who persuaded her to leave her native Texas and live all over the country - Michigan, Illinois, New Jersey, Arkansas, Tennessee, South Carolina and Florida.  Roger proceeded her in death earlier this year; together they raised three daughters, Amy, Gail, and Rebecca.

A born organizer, she was President of women’s clubs in every town she made a home, plus founded several social clubs to foster community and friendships.  She was a skilled fundraiser, helping create scholarships for young women and build a hospice house. Leta was a Master Gardener whose yards were often the prettiest in the neighborhood and her green thumb was the envy of many. She and Roger were known for their community contributions everywhere they went.

Leta loved being creative and artistic, with a real talent for sewing, making fantastic Halloween costumes, wedding dresses, and upholstery projects.  Literature, theatre, the arts – she enjoyed them all. She had beautiful penmanship, with a cursive style that would make Millennials weep.

Born during the Depression, Leta overcame hard times in childhood and built a good life for herself.  She studied business and literature in school before becoming a homemaker. Leta was a “can do” woman with a sharp wit and an infectious sense of humor.  Whether at the store, church, or the post office, Leta never met a stranger and always took time for a conversation.

Known for her ability to make people laugh, she was a natural storyteller and her family tales will be sorely missed.  She leaves behind to tell her stories her daughters, her three sons-in-law Markel Petty, Bill McCarthy and David Garcia, and her granddaughters, Hadley and Dot McCarthy.  

Leta had a strong faith and is currently enjoying reuniting with her husband, mother, siblings, and good friends who went on before her.   

Donations in memory of Leta may be made to either The Tribble Center for Special Needs Foundation,116 South Cove Road, Seneca, SC 29672 or Cornerstone Hospice, 2445 Lane Park Road, Tavares, FL 32778.

A memorial service will be held next spring in Seneca, South Carolina.

To send flowers to the family or plant a tree in memory of Leta M Quigley, please visit our floral store.