LOUISE MARCHELLE LEON

Louise Marchelle Leon, our beloved wife and mother, 86, passed away on September 27, 2017 in Lawrence, KS. A graveside service will be held on Friday September 29th at 11 a.m. at B'nai Israel Cemetery located in Eudora, KS at 1301 E 2100 Rd.

Louise was born in Winnipeg, Manitoba on February 9, 1931 as Mary Louise Chaiken to immigrant parents from Russia. Somewhere along the way she became Louise Marchelle Chaiken. She completed nursing school in 1952.

After becoming a Registered Nurse she moved to New York City where she met her future husband, Herman Leon, at a lecture about Marxism and psychoanalysis at the Jefferson School of Social Science. Louise and Herman eloped in 1953, months after they met, while Herman was on leave from basic training in the Army.

The Leon family, which now consisted of 3 children, Rebecca, Nina and Joseph, all moved to Kansas in 1971 from New York City. Louise was a nurse at Lawrence Memorial Hospital. She also served the community at LINC.

Louise is survived by her loving husband, Herman; her daughters Rebecca (husband Paul), Nina (husband Kent) and son Joseph (wife Valerie); 4 grandchildren, Evan, Nora, David and Lulu and her older brother William Chaiken. She is preceded in death by her parents, Zalman and Celia and sister Gert.