Lela Mary (Munz) Kelly Leighton

Lela Mary (Munz) Kelly Leighton passed away peacefully on Friday, 22 November 2019 at the age of 97 in Santa Monica, Los Angeles, California. Born to the late Herman Richard Munz and Sylvia Mary Allen on 29 October 1922 in Salt Lake City, Utah.

She married the late Paul Clement Kelly on 25 May 1940 in Salt Lake City, Utah, and together they lived for 14 years in Salt Lake City, and Park City, Utah until relocating in 1954 to Bakersfield, California and eventually settled in Santa Monica, California. The couple later divorced in 1959. She later married John Harland Leighton on 2 September 1967 in Reno, Nevada.

Lela’s hobbies included gardening, playing cards, doing puzzles, and collecting angels; however, her greatest enjoyment in life was doting on her grandchildren and great-grandchildren. She could tell you every single one of their birthdays and never forgot to send a birthday card.

Lela was a long-time member of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. She loved serving with the Relief Society sisters and enjoyed a special friendship with her friend Vivian Spadafore.

Lela is survived by three children: Milton Robert (Linda) Kelly; Ricky Lee Kelly; and Cindy Jean Kelly. One adopted daughter and long-time family friend Lynn Packard Cody. She is also survived by seven grandchildren: Tracy Kelly, Bryan (Val) Kelly, Calvin (Alice) Hicks, Kelly-Lynn (Terry) Kamakura, Kristy-Lynn (David) Donoho, David Kelly, Ricky Lee Kelly, Jr. Her legacy includes thirteen Great-Great Grandchildren, and three Great-Great-Great Grandchildren.

Lela is preceded in death by her parents, and all of her siblings, she was the last surviving Munz to Herman Richard Munz and Sylvia Mary Allen’s nine children. She also was preceded in death by her three children: Paul Clement Kelly, Jr., Pauline Mae Kelly Hicks, and Harry Raymond Kelly.