Michelle Leasure Leasure McGahee

Michelle L. McGahee, 58, of St. Simons Island, Georgia entered into eternal rest on Monday, March 21, 2016. Michelle’s strength and determination defeated the cancer that was diagnosed some twenty-five years ago but a sudden, unexpected event, arising from complications of her medical condition, has delivered her to God.

Michelle was the daughter of the late Dan Simpson Leasure and the late Barbara Brewster Snow Leasure, also of St. Simons Island. She and her loving husband, Marvin McGahee, met and became friends in the eighth grade and began dating their senior year of high school, marrying in August, 1976. Michelle graduated from Georgia State University in 1978 with a BA degree (Magna Cum Laude) in Early Childhood Education. She loved teaching children in grades K through 4 for approximately fifteen years until she was forced to cease teaching due to increasing complications from the cancer treatment. Michelle and her husband have resided on St. Simons Island, Georgia for the past nineteen years, where they raised three children and cared for Michelle’s father in his later years.

A memorial service to honor Michelle’s life will be held 2:00 PM Monday, March 28, 2016 at the Chapel of Edo Miller and Sons Funeral Home in Brunswick, Georgia with Reverend Wright Culpepper officiating. The family will receive friends following the memorial service.

Michelle was preceded in death by her parents, Dan and Barbara Leasure and by her father-in –law Conrad W. McGahee. She is survived by her husband Marvin; daughter, Whitney McGahee Taylor (Scott) of Smyrna, GA; two sons, Daniel W. and Evan M. McGahee both of St. Simons Island; three grandsons, Bennett Conrad, William Charles, and Grant Edward Taylor all of Smyrna, GA; two sisters, JoAnne Leasure Bradbury (Dave) of Tucker, GA and Kathleen Leasure of Brunswick, GA; two nieces, Ellen Piquette of Gainesville, GA and Amy Barnhill of Greenville, SC and one nephew, Jose’ Leasure of Austin, TX. Also surviving is her loving mother-in-law, Betty S. McGahee of St. Simons Island, GA.

Michelle missed teaching as much as anything that the cure of cancer took from her, but she never allowed her daily health challenges to keep her from enjoying all that life allowed her to experience and do; she loved to travel with her husband, particularly on cruises, read and walk on the beach (any beach—anytime, anywhere), garden, decorate for every holiday, plan and participate in every family member’s birthday as she always believed that someone’s birthday should be a very big deal for that person on their special day. Most recently, her greatest enjoyment and love revolved around the time she was able to spend with her three grandsons.

Michelle was a wife, mother, grandmother, daughter, sister and teacher—above all she was a survivor and an inspiration: she is loved; she is and will be missed.

In lieu of flowers, the family requests memorial contributions be made in her memory to the American Cancer Society.

Arrangements are entrusted into the care of Edo Miller and Sons Funeral Home www.edomillerandsons.com