Lady Leah attended and graduated from Central Elementary School, Lake Charles High School, and McNeese State University. In high school, she had the time of her life and met her one, true love, Glenn Hathaway, Jr., with whom she recently celebrated her sixtieth wedding anniversary. While at McNeese, she was a cheerleader and served as choreographer for many musicals sponsored by the Lake Charles Evening Lions Club. Lady Leah was an active member of the MSU Bayou Players under Margery Wilson, Lake Charles Little Theatre, and ACTS. She played Summer stock at the Flat Rock Theatre in North Carolina and has the distinction of being Rosa Hart’s final protégé. In 1958, Lady Leah was named Miss Lake Charles and in the 1970’s she starred In the KPLC television series “The Romper Room.”
Lady Leah was a pioneer in her field, establishing Lady Leah Lafargue School of the Dance in 1957. Twelve years later she chartered Lake Charles Civic Ballet, which is still used as a platform and creative outlet for Louisiana artists. She was a member of Regional Dance America, serving as president of Southwest Regional Ballet Association three times. In 2008, she was named Citizen of the Arts for the Mayor’s Arts Award, and in 2019 the City of Lake Charles honored LCCB and Lady Leah for fifty years of service to the community. One of the most important aspects of her creative life was touring the state of Louisiana, introducing theater and dance to thousands of school children.
Lady Leah was a member of First United Methodist Church, Calcasieu Chapter Daughters of the American Revolution, and Colonel George Logan Chapter XVII Century Colonial Dames. She was a member of Bible Study Fellowship, where she had, for many years, helped in the children’s program. Lady Leah used her business, LCCB, and her vast interactions in the community as her ministry. She poured herself into each relationship without reservation.
Lady Leah is preceded in death by her parents and is survived by her children: William Glenn Hathaway, III M.D. (Kay Hathaway), Heidi Tanner, Kisler Hathaway (Chris Sannella), Lady Holly Hathaway (Andy Kaough), Chelsey Orr (Amos Orr); her sister, Patricia Hayes; 13 grandchildren and 8 great-grandchildren who will miss their Grand Lady very much.
Three days after her passing, she was joined in Heaven by her precious Glenn.
The family wishes to thank the entire staff and Lady Leah’s caregivers at Brookdale Assisted Living for four years of love and ice cream and Heart of Hospice staff, especially Jennifer Fuselier, Christy Jeffels, and Dr. Alan Lebato. May God bless the hands that blessed our mother.
Visitation will be at Hixson Funeral Home on Friday, April 26 from 4-8pm.
Visitation will resume on Saturday, April 27 at First United Methodist Church from 11am-1pm
Service will begin at 1pm with burial to follow at Orange Grove Cemetery.
Memorial contributions honoring the life of Lady Leah may be made through the Community Foundation’s Lake Charles Civic Ballet Fund.
