Arvellie Mae Leigh

April 11, 1926 – January 10, 2025

Billie Leigh, a selfless, loving daughter, mother, grandmother, great grandmother, aunt, and friend passed away peacefully at age 98, in Merced, where she had lived for almost 80 years. Her parents were Earl and Lydia Lawrence and she was the third oldest child of 7 children (6 daughters and 1 son).

Billie grew up in Oklahoma during the Great Depression and attended schools in Oklahoma before moving to Merced, riding the “Troop Train” with her sister Doris, to rejoin her family after staying in Oklahoma to complete her last year of high school. She met her first husband, Walter (Lucky) Bosley, married in 1946 and had one daughter, Robin Bosley (now Somerville, of Scottsdale, AZ) and lived in Alaska for a few years while Lucky was in the military. After Billie and Robin moved back to Merced following her divorce in 1954, she met her second husband Merle (Jeep) Leigh, married in 1957 and had two sons, Mark Leigh (of Merced) and Scott Leigh (of Castro Valley). She also had two grandsons, Brian Leigh (of Modesto) and Brandon Leigh, and two great grandchildren, Addison and Wyatt (of Modesto).

In Merced, Billie was a waitress, first at the Hotel Tioga and later at the Branding Iron restaurant. She was a housewife after her marriage to Jeep and raised Mark and Scott before going back to work, working at the Langendorf bread store. She had hobbies such as bowling, playing cards, playing Bingo, gambling trips to Tahoe and Reno, and mainly visiting and talking with neighbors, friends and her sister Doris, who she spoke to almost every day. When her parents were elderly and ill, she took care of them in their last days. She enjoyed traveling to Hawaii a few times with Robin and her son-in-law Jim. After her husband Jeep passed away in 1985, she lived on her own and helped raise her grandson, Brian. She enjoyed going to Brian’s soccer games, senior exercise classes and visiting with neighbors, friends, and family. She enjoyed family coming to her house on holidays and looked forward to lunches with her three nieces (Nancy, Carol, and Lori). She also enjoyed traveling to both Colorado and Arizona to spend time with Robin and Jim. She was patriotic, liked to fly the flag, and made two trips to Washington DC, where she toured the capital and monuments. She also supported many causes and charities.

Although Billie’s health was beginning to fail in the last four months, her joy for life and strong spirt kept her pushing through any set back. Billie will be remembered as someone with a big heart, a sense of humor with funny sayings, and as someone who genuinely loved talking with people. We will miss her terribly.

Billie was preceded in death by her husband Jeep, grandson Brandon Leigh, by her parents Earl and Lydia, three of her sisters (Doris Suffecool, Geraldine Lawrence, and Elnora Williams), and her brother (Aubry Lawrence).

Billie is survived by her daughter Robin, sons Mark and Scott, grandson Brian, great grandchildren Addison and Wyatt, sisters Doloris Born and Patsy Watson and numerous nephews and nieces.

She will be laid to rest next to her husband Jeep on Wednesday, January 22nd at Merced Cemetery. Visitation will be available on Tuesday, January 21st from 5:00 pm to 7:00 pm at The Stratford Evans Merced Funeral Home with funeral services to be held on Wednesday, January 22nd at 12:00 pm followed by interment. A reception will follow at the event space at the funeral home.

If anyone would like to make a memorial donation, some of her favorite causes were the Wounded Warrior Project (woundedwarriorproject.org) and Boys Town (boystown.org).