Leatha Chamberland was born Leatha Campbell on April 13, 1920 in Rigby, Idaho. She was one of four daughters born to Vera Edna Bate and Alma Leroy Campbell. Growing up and throughout her life, Leatha was very close to her sisters.
In her early twenties, Leatha met James Ivan Owen and after a short time they were married. They were together for 7 years and had two sons, Steven and Edward. After the divorce, Leatha relocated to California, where she lived for most of her life. Being the self-motivated, hard-working woman that she was, she embarked on different work adventures, such as running a small café, and managing rental apartments and other housing facilities.
While operating the café, Leatha met Claire Chamberland, her second husband. They dated for a while and then got married on February 26, 1954. No children came of this union, but the couple were happily married for 30 years, until the time of his death in 1984.
Leatha was a widow for 35 years. Living independently for a couple of decades, she kept herself busy with church activities, teaching crafts at the senior center, hosting table game nights at her place, cooking, and taking care of her ill, younger sister. Leatha enjoyed knitting, crocheting, and anything that involved creating with her hands. She absolutely loved doing jigsaw puzzles, one of the activities in which she engaged until the final days of her life.
Declining health issues forced Leatha to leave her beloved sunny, California fourteen years ago. She came to live with her younger son, Edward, and his family in NH, where she delighted in watching the snow from the window of her warm bedroom. She settled nicely into her new surroundings and seemed to enjoy the tranquility of life in Nashua, but she also liked traveling back and forth to Texas, as often as her health allowed it, to spend time with her older son, Steven, and his family.
This past Sunday, February 17, 2019, after a few trips to the hospital due to a resistant UTI and fall, Leatha’s 98 year-old body finally succumbed, and she passed away surrounded by her family. She was brave to the end and will be remembered by everyone, including her caregivers, as a “sweet heart”, with a willing disposition and a kind smile. No one will forget about her love for chocolate and any kind of sauce that she required with all her meals. (This is the reason that she referred to herself as the “sauce fiend”).
Leatha was survived by her two sons and their respective wives, 6 grandchildren, 5 great-grandchildren, and a great-great grandchild. She will be dearly missed.
Her funeral service will be on Friday evening, February 22nd at 7 p.m. in the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints, 110 Concord Street, Nashua. Friends are invited to attend. Arrangements are in the care of the FARWELL FUNERAL SERVICE, 18 Lock Street, Nashua.
