- Date Of Birth: November 07, 1935
- Date Of Death: March 26, 2014
- State: Indiana
Upland: Carillon Ruth Conelley Leader (“Chuffy”), 78, passed away peacefully in Leesburg, VA.
Carillon was born in Marion, IN and raised on a farm in Upland, IN surrounded by sisters, cousins, friends, and barnyard companions. She entranced her children and grandchildren with memories of lambs pushed around in doll-carriages, evenings spent watching James Dean playing basketball and performing in high school plays, and marching with the Grant County Band. She had a lifelong love of reading, corresponding with family and friends, doing handwork, entertaining, and baking what her family believes to be the best chocolate cake in the world. None of these things surpassed her love of and commitment to family and friends. After graduating from Jefferson Township High School in 1953 and from Purdue University in 1957 (where she earned a BS in Home Economics and Education, and a minor in Art), she married Jim Leader of Wilmington, Delaware in 1958. After moving briefly to Washington, DC, she supported him through his career in the US Foreign Service that took them and their children to Madras, India (now Chennai); London, England; Colombo, Ceylon (now Sri Lanka); Caracas, Venezuela; and New Delhi, India.
In later years, she became a beloved teacher of math and science at international schools where they lived. Once back in Washington, DC, she took her teaching into the homes of children who were homebound with illness or injury and into the juvenile detention facilities in the DC metropolitan area. Her love and devotion to those she touched leaves a legacy in more lives than there are stars in the night sky. Carillon’s spirit is carried on by her husband of 55 years, James E Leader of Wilmington, Delaware; her three children: Dan Leader (wife Sally) of East Falmouth, Massachusetts; Carol (Leader) Smith (husband Dan) of Sterling VA; and Jane (Leader) Soderquist (husband Chris) of Hanover NH. She also leaves 11 grandchildren who were the light of her life: Ryan (wife Sarah), Sean, Christopher (wife Mackenzie), Conor, Alex, Elizabeth, Carillon, Noah, Emma, and Abby.
She is also survived by two sisters, Kathryn (Conelley) Hessong (husband Bob) of Indianapolis, IN and Esther (Conelley) Boonstra (husband Charles) of Lafayette, IN and many in-laws, nieces, nephews, friends, and family too numerous to list but not forgotten.
Carillon was welcomed into her heavenly home by those who predeceased her: parents Vaughn E. Conelley and Ruth LaRue Conelley, one sister, Jane (Conelley) Torgerson and brother-in-law Torgy of Sweetser, IN, many dear aunts, uncles, and friendsa”and a beloved student named Samantha.
