Leigh Margaret Fletcher, 55, a resident of Elkins, departed this life early Tuesday morning, April 23, 2024, at her home. She had been in her usual health and death was unexpected.
She was born Wednesday, Dec. 4, 1968, in Elkins, a daughter of the late Charles Hughes Fletcher and the late Patricia Lynn Gillespie Fletcher.
Surviving are one sister, Kelly Lynn Fletcher Shuppe and husband, Joseph, of Elkins; one brother, Charles Michael “Mike” Fletcher, of Erie, Pa.; two nephews, Reece Alexander Fletcher and Oliver Hughes Fletcher, both of Parkersburg. Other surviving loved ones are Mike and Pam Gillespie, Kara Gillespie Blevins, Kurt Gillespie, JoHannah Ruddle Weldon, Jennifer Ruddle Frey, Ben Fletcher and Kellie Elizebeth Gammon Fletcher.
Leigh was a graduate of Elkins High School with the class of 1987 where she graduated as salutatorian, West Virginia University with the class of 1991 with a double major in English and journalism and with the class of 1993 with a master’s degree in journalism. She was a professor of journalism at the West Virginia University School of Journalism, had previously worked for The Dominion Post in Morgantown and was a member of the First United Methodist Church in Elkins. Leigh was very active through her school years as a drummer, was on the swim team from age five to 13 and played tennis all through school and even competed for one year at the state level.
In her younger years, Leigh enjoyed family outings which were usually water skiing at Deep Creek Lake, snow skiing at Snowshoe Mountain, vacationing at Ocean City, Md. and camping at Audra State Park. She was a former tutor and babysitter and was very artistic, being excellent at drawing and entered the Forest Festival Art contest several years.
The family will receive friends at the Lohr & Barb Funeral Home in Elkins from 4-7 p.m. on Saturday. Final Rites will be conducted at the funeral home at 1 p.m. on Sunday, April 28. The Rev. Brian Seders will officiate, and interment will follow at the Maplewood Cemetery in Elkins.
The Lohr & Barb Funeral Home is in charge of the arrangements for Leigh Margaret Fletcher.
Condolences:
www.lohrbarbfuneralhome.com
