Obituary of Russell G.M. Leigh

JOHNSBURG: Russell G.M. Leigh, 94, of Garnet Lake Road, North, entered Heaven’s gates early Sunday morning, December 12, 2010 in the Glens Falls Hospital following a brief illness. The short biography to follow doesn’t begin to chronicle the impact this good man had on his family and his slice of the world. He lent adventure, optimism, and enthusiasm to every endeavor. Born December 10, 1916 in Jersey City, New Jersey , he was the second of four children of Wonnick and Elsia (Maeder) Leigh. He spent his childhood in Freeport, Long Island and moved to the Garnet Lake area as a young man. Here he met his wife of 67 years, Mary E. Cleveland, who died July 11, 2009. They mostly lived and raised their children in his family’s summer home in Garnet Lake. Although he spent his junior year at North Creek High School , Russ graduated from Freeport High School in 1934. He worked delivering pictures for a photography shop in New York before heading north with his lifetime friend Jim Watson one Friday night. When they got to the bridge in Wevertown, they let two homing pigeons go, to successfully return to a buddy waiting in the city. His work included farming (for his future father-in-law), lumbering, tourism, mining, mechanics, welding, truck driving. He retired from a 27 year career at National Lead Industries over 30 years ago. Perhaps one of his favorite occupations, in his 70’s and 80’s he participated in house-to-house data collection for the Census Bureau. Being active in the community, Russ often took part in fund raising, particularly for the Adirondack Tri-County Nursing Home and the Johnsburg Library. He was a founding member of the Garnet Lake Fire Department and worked as a 4-H Leader for many years. He enjoyed many hobbies including hunting, fishing, telling stories, adagio, round and square dancing (he learned at local kitchen hops in Garnet Lake), reading, wood and metal crafting, singing, playing the piano, classic movies. Russ is predeceased by his wife, his parents; his sister, Miki D. Melon and his brother Edgar Leigh; his daughter Virginia Aloha (Sis) Leigh Skellie, his son-in-law Allen Lee Richards, and his granddaughter, Stacie Ross; his brother-in-law James L. (Buster) Cleveland and his sister-in-law Gretchen Ross Millington; and his former daughter-in-law Carolyn Leigh. Michele Marie and Russell W. Leigh, his grandchildren/children, survive Russ. Michele has devoted the last six or more years to his care and well-being, living with him and Mary most of those years. Rusty and his wife Melissa live in Queensbury. Other survivors include his children Mary Ann Richards of Pleasant Valley, Russell W. and Jane Leigh of Johnsburg, Wanda and John Armstrong of Chestertown, and Jonnie and Jeff Cruzan of Guam . Russ is also survived by his son-in-law Stephen L.C. Skellie and his wife Joan of Orlando, FL and his former daughter-in-law Debra Leigh of North Creek. Russ leaves behind 10 grandchildren and 3 step-grandchildren and many, many great-grandchildren. His brother and sister-in-law Warren and Kay Leigh of Bloomingdale and many well-loved nieces, nephews and their children and grandchildren also survive him. Friends may call on the family from 5 to 8 pm Wednesday, December 15 at the Alexander-Baker Funeral Home, 3809 Main St.,Warrensburg. A funeral service to celebrate his life will be conducted 12 noon, Thursday, December 16, at the funeral home with the Rev. Wayne Schoonmaker, Pastor of the Calvary Bible Church in Wevertown officiating. Burial will follow in the Garnet Lake Wesleyan Cemetery. After that, a reception will be held at Calvary Bible Church in Wevertown. Donations in his memory may be made to the Adirondack Tri-County Nursing and Rehabilitation Center or the Garnet Lake Fire Company. The family wishes to thank Barb O’Dell for her faithful care for Russ these last years. We are also indebted to the staff of the Adirondack Tri-County Nursing and Rehabilitation Center and the nurses in Tower 3 of the Glens Falls Hospital . As Russ hunted and searched the hills, ridges, valleys, and mountains surrounding his home in this land he came to, God was seeking him out and wooing his heart to Himself. Due to Russ’s faith in Jesus Christ as his Savior, he is now hunting all over heaven! This is what the LORD says in Jeremiah 16 and 17: But now… I will send for many hunters, and they will hunt … on every mountain and hill and from the crevices of the rocks…and find the LORD, my strength and my fortress, my refuge in time of distress, to You the nations will come from the ends of the earth…blessed is the one who trusts in the LORD, whose confidence is in Him. They will be like a tree planted by the water that sends out its roots by the stream. It does not fear when heat comes; its leaves are always green. It has no worries in a year of drought and never fails to bear fruit. Please visit www.alexanderfh.net for online guestbook, condolences and directions.