Alae Risse was born in Clarksville, Georgia on October 1, 1913 and was the oldest child of Maude and Virgil Barron. She grew up in Toccoa, Georgia and moved with her family to Atlanta during the Depression. She graduated from Agnes Scott College in 1934 and married her high school sweetheart, James John Leitch (Ike) in 1936. Alae Risse taught school for seven years in the Atlanta School System and raised two daughters, Lindsay and Risse. She was very devoted to her family both immediate and extended and her last birthday celebrations were like mini family reunions. Her fourteen great grandchildren were her pride and joy.
Alae Risse was a faithful member of First Baptist Church of Atlanta for forty years and in 1972 joined Second Ponce de Leon Baptist Church of Atlanta. For many years she enjoyed teaching three year olds in Sunday school. Later on her leadership roles in the church included being Director of Woman’s Missionary Union and Director of the Atlanta Baptist Association WMU. She also enjoyed working with the missionaries and children in the Stewart Mission located in East Atlanta. She continued to be a faithful, active member of her Lydian Sunday School class well into her 100’s.
Alae Risse’s love of Georgia Tech football is legendary. She was born into a Tech family, and her love for the Jackets began as a teenager when she would ride the train from Toccoa with her parents to see her uncles play. Alae Risse was truly passionate about Georgia Tech football and was a staunch supporter for many decades, always adorned in gold and white on game day. She even attended a game in the fall of 2017 at the age of 104 where she sat in coach’s box with her sister, as they cheered on the Jackets.
Alae Risse had an exceptional career as a member of the Joseph Habersham Chapter of DAR. She served as the Joseph Habersham Chapter Regent from 1972-1974 and led in placing Habersham Memorial Hall on the National Register of Historic Places. She was the Georgia State Regent from 1986-1988 and then Honorary State Regent. She served the National Society DAR as Historian General from 1989-1991 and was the only member of her chapter to serve as an Executive Officer in the National Administration. She served on the board of the DAR sponsored school, Kate Duncan Smith School in Grant, Alabama, and in more recent years, served her chapter as First Vice Regent and Chaplain. She lived her life in accordance with the DAR motto “God Home Country”.
Alae Risse was preceded in death by her husband, James John Leitch, of 60 years, her brother, Virgil Claude Barron, her sister, Aileen Barron Penick and her son-in-law, Tommy Hughes. She is survived by two daughters, Lindsay Hughes of Marietta and Risse (Russell) Berry of Dunwoody, four grandchildren, Lindsay (Chip) Stewart, Tommy (Carrie) Hughes, Jr., Rebecca (Jon) Nixon, and Rachel (Jason) Brubaker and fourteen great grandchildren. She is also survived by her sister, Jo Atchison of Atlanta, a devoted extended family, and many loving friends.
The family would like to express their appreciation to her four loving and faithful, caregivers: Armenia Wilson, Christina Martin, Barsheba Martin, and Carolyn McMillon. We are forever grateful for their dedication and service over the past five years. We also appreciate the compassion and support the family received from Weinstein Hospice.
The Celebration of Life will be held at Second Ponce de Leon Baptist Church Wednesday, May 30, 2018, at 11:00 a.m. The family will receive friends at Patterson’s Oglethorpe on Tuesday May 29, 2018 from 5:00-7:00 p.m. and at 10:00 prior to the service at the church. In lieu of flowers, please consider contributions to Second Ponce de Leon Baptist Church of Atlanta 2715 Peachtree Road N.E. Atlanta, Georgia 30305 or the Kate Duncan Smith DAR School, 6077 Main St. Grant, Alabama 35747.
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