Fleeta Stearns

On the evening of Thursday, December 4, 2014, Fleeta Love Stearns of Monroe, OH passed away at LifeCare Hospital in Miamisburg, Oh after a long battle with lung disease. Fleeta spent her last days surrounded by her loving family. She was 78 years old. She was born on March 27, 1936 in Thorn Hill, TN.

After moving from Tennessee with her family as a teenager to Franklin, OH, Fleeta graduated from Franklin High School and started her career at Monsanto Research Laboratories in Miamisburg, OH in 1957. She medically retired from Monsanto in 1985. Through those years at Monsanto she made many wonderful friends who she has still kept close contact with and visited this past year. Fleeta and husband, Bill, raised award winning breeds of rabbits in the late 70's and early 80's and traveled to many states to attend shows. In the early 90's they changed their hobby to building a koi pond and collecting beautiful fish. Fleeta loved her pet birds, especially Jake and dogs, Bridgett, George, Stanley and Princess. She loved to play golf, write poetry, go bowling, fish, play bingo and games and work on puzzles but most of all she derived great joy out of making her grandchildren happy. If Fleeta discovered someone needed help or assistance she found a way to provide comfort in their time of need. Her smile, her laugh and her good nature made everyone she met fall in love with her. She gave her family and friends the opportunity to experience things in life they may have never had the chance to get to do. She never asked for anything in return but only to see the results of her efforts, which was your happiness. She will be missed by all.

Fleeta is preceded in death by her mother and father, Maude and Ernest Harville and brother, Raymond Wolfe. Fleeta is survived by her husband of 40 years, William E. Stearns; sister Helen Wheeler of Miamisburg, OH; sister Phyllis Hoffer Bud Colker of Sebring; FL, sister-in-law Toni Wolfe of Ft. Myers, FL; daughter Debra Sue Smith Anthony Mayer of Middletown, OH; son Randy Stearns Melanie, children Lyndsey, Melissa, William of Loveland, OH; daughter Mendy Fedotowsky Mike, children Alexandra, Andre, Tessa of Centerville, OH; son Russell Stearns Beth, children Clifford, Sarah of Monroe, OH and daughter Lynn Anne Rushing Bob, children Annabelle, Michael of Lexington, KY. Fleeta also had three great grandchildren; Alaina, Noah, and Riley. There are also cousins, nieces, nephews and good friends who were very much loved by Fleeta. She will be missed by all. A visitation will be held Monday, December 8, from 5 – 8PM at Breitenbach McCoy Leffler Funeral Home in Middletown. A funeral service will be held at 11AM on Tuesday, December 9, at Monroe United Methodist Church. Burial will follow at North Monroe Cemetery. A guestbook is available at www.breitenbachfuneralhome.com.

A special thank you goes to the members of the Monroe Life Squad, Monroe, OH for all the times they came to Fleeta's home and so graciously assisted her. Thank you to the staff and doctors at Atrium Medical Center, LifeCare Hospital, Mt. Pleasant Nursing Home and Heartland Hospice.