Leslie Karen Straus

Leslie Karen Straus, 66, passed away peacefully in her home surrounded by her family on December 29, 2023, in Salt Lake City, Utah after a heroic battle with ALS. She was a loving wife, mother, nana, sister, aunt, and friend.

Leslie was born on September 20, 1957, in Detroit, Michigan to Betty and Rudy Straus. She grew up in Southfield, MI, and graduated from Southfield-Lathrup High School. As a teenager, she was a counselor at a Habonim camp in Michigan, where she developed a strong social-moral conscience that guided her all her life. She attended and graduated with an Education major from Michigan State University in 1979.

Leslie moved to Washington, DC in 1980, working for a local theater/arts company. She met her husband, Russell Miraglia, at her best friend’s party in DC, and they were married on June 26, 1988.

Leslie worked for local event companies, such as the Washington Convention Center, which launched her career in event planning, eventually becoming a specialized event coordinator for private clients. Her attention to detail and problem-solving on the fly produced many memorable parties, private concerts, and corporate events.

As a teacher, she taught religious school at Bethesda Jewish Congregation and shared her love for reading with kids in the Oasis Tutoring program. She enjoyed sailing the Chesapeake Bay, socializing with her book club group, was an enthusiastic yoga class participant, and a lifetime practitioner of Transcendental Meditation.

As a long-time student of herbal medicine, Leslie loved spreading her knowledge and practice of homeopathic remedies for any friend’s ailment. Her greatest joy was raising her two children and spending time with her family.

Friends and family will always remember Leslie’s Friday evening candle-lit Shabbat meals, where her greatest loves came together…feeding, nurturing, and replenishing the body and soul.

Leslie is survived by her husband Russell and her children Allison (Trent) Childs, Michael (Rebecca) Miraglia, grandson Leo, and siblings Ken Straus and Ellen Straus.

Leslie will be laid to rest in Salt Lake City, Utah on Wednesday, January 3, 2024. A celebration of life is being planned for February 9, 2024, at 10:00 AM Bethesda Jewish Congregation in Bethesda, MD.

In lieu of flowers, please send donations to support Johns Hopkins

ALS research using this link: https://packardcenter.org/give/