Dorothy Jeanne Leaberry, 83, of Sapulpa, Oklahoma, passed away peacefully on March 10, 2021 with family at her side. Jeanne passed away on March 10, 2021 from complications due to congestive heart failure and Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease. Jeanne was born in Sioux City, Iowa, on July 1, 1937, to the late Dorothy L. and Donald E. Danner. Both her mother and her father’s twin sister were named Dorothy. She was named after them; however, there were too many Dorothy Danner’s so she went by her middle name Jeanne. Jeanne’s mother was a homemaker, gardener, and Sunday school teacher. Her father was a supervisor at Swifts and a plant manager of Dinner Bell Meat Packing Company. Jeanne had a busy childhood. She learned to plant a vegetable garden, how to sew, knit, play piano, the violin, and the bass. The bass was her favorite. She received medals in orchestra and band in high school. She learned to raise chickens, taught herself how to ride a bike, and many other accomplishments. After high school Jeanne went to Fairview General Hospital for nursing school and became a registered nurse.
Jeanne married the late Richard Phinney and had four children, Donald, Nanette, Roxanne, and Kimberly. Jeanne had a very busy life. As a new mother with three small children, she was also a foster mother. Jeanne fostered many children as a young mother and again in her retirement. As a young mother she had 6 kids under the age of 5 all at once. Since she was a nurse, she was able to care for children who had medical problems. She provided the love and care that others could not provide for these special children. Jeanne was a Boy Scout leader, and a Brownie Girl Scout Leader. Jeanne loved to be around children. She often played games with her own children. In Troy Ohio, Jeanne worked in the newborn nursery for a while and then in a nursing home.
In the early 1970’s Jeanne and Richard divorced and she relocated from Ohio to Southern California. As a single parent, she worked many years for Kaiser Permanente in Van Nuys, California. Jeanne worked in several nursing homes. She helped employ many immigrants who were not able to find work so that they could provide for their families. Jeanne continued to raise her children and she always found time to sew, knit, do cross stitch. She was an accomplished crafter.
In 1992 Jeanne married the late Gordon Leaberry. Gordon worked in the aerospace industry and was relocated to Tulsa, Oklahoma. Jeanne continued to work as a nurse in Claremore, Oklahoma. When Gordon retired they moved to St. George, Utah. She worked as a Registered nurse for over forty years in several nursing homes in Ohio, California, Utah, and Oklahoma dedicating her life to taking care of many people. Jeanne relocated back to Oklahoma after Gordon passed away.
Jeanne wanted to be remembered for making tissue holders. She sewed different tissue covers for each month of the year. Jeanne handed out these tissue holders to everyone, such as teachers, bank tellers, grocery store cashiers, nurses, aids, flight attendants, librarians, and many other people. Her tissue covers spread all over the world and to many different countries. She made several thousand and handed them out for over twenty years.
Jeanne was an avid reader and read thousands of books over her life time. As a child she read Raggedy Anne and Andy, the Bobbsey Twins, Nancy Drew, and the Hardy Boys. As an adult she loved the Harry Potter Books and read them numerous times. She would read almost anything.
Jeanne Leaberry exemplified kindness, caring, and compassion as a dedicated nurse over the years.
Jeanne is survived by her five children: Donald and Maggie Phinney, (son); Nanette Acosta, Chevalier, (daughter); Roxanne Taylor (daughter), Kimberly and Ronald Howe, (daughter); and Michelle Leaberry, daughter and her rescue dog Ricky.
Her grandchildren are Danny Acosta Jr, Natasha Flores, Donny Phinney, Selina, and Callie Howe. Her great-grandchildren are, Amore, Axel, and Asher.
She will be greatly missed.
In lieu of flowers please make a donation to Sapulpa Furry Friends (539) 777-0991.
