Leitha Belle Fisher

Leitha Belle Fisher, died peacefully at 2:11 AM on Tuesday, August 1, 2023 in a Dequincy care center after a lengthy illness.  

She was born in Crowley, Louisiana, on February 20, 1942, and moved as a young child with her family to DeQuincy, Maplewood and then Lake Charles.  She graduated from LaGrange High School, where she was known for her great sense of humor and as the photographer for the high school newspaper, the LaGator.  She graduated from McNeese State College with a degree in science education. Thereafter, she spent most of her professional life as a high school science teacher. She periodically interrupted her teaching during her years in Lake Charles to sell educational books, a second career at which she excelled.  

An excellent teacher and student as well, she returned to graduate school at McNeese in the late 1980’s for classes in Psychology and Statistics. She had a great love of the Mountain West and moved from Lake Charles to Salt Lake City for a year in the mid 1990’s, where she worked for Federal Express.  She then moved to northern New Mexico to resume her career as a science teacher in a predominantly Native American high school in the town of Cuba, NM.  In order to expand her computer skills, which she needed to enhance her teaching, she moved to Roswell, NM, for classes and taught high school science to special needs teens until her retirement in 2008.  She returned to Lake Charles, where she made her home with her son, James.  

Her family remember her as a generous gift-giver, especially to her siblings, nieces and nephews and their children.  She loved gardening, nature and travel, and was an excellent watercolorist.  She painted beautiful landscapes, often with a magical quality, as well as whimsical little characters. The latter were a particular delight to everyone, especially to her late mother.  She loved all animals, especially her many pets from her first (a black cocker named Frisky) to her last (two little chihuahuas, Kelly and Bella).

Leitha was preceded in death by her parents, Jennings and Evelyn Marlin Fisher and by her older brother, Bryan Fisher.  

She is survived by her only son James Marlin Deem; her younger brother, Lloyd Fisher; her sisters, Mary Lyons (husband Rick), Bonnie Palombo (husband Tony), Evelyn Fisher and Joyce Fisher; nephews David, Michael, and Scott Lipscomb, and Marcus Hines; and nieces Kristen Reed, Kimberly Reed Fontenot, Michelle Fisher Raetzsch, and Ashley Fisher.

A memorial service is planned for a later date for family and close friends.  Cremation was entrusted to Johnson Funeral Home.