Leah Gay Saunders Fileman

The lovely and courageous Leah Saunders-Fileman went home to be with her Lord after twenty years overcoming the odds of a pons brain stem stroke that initially left her paralyzed from the neck down. Leah met every challenge of her recovery process, regaining full speech and mobility for many years (she even drove a car for a while.) She accomplished fine needlepoint and crochet, using her skills to make blankets for cats and dogs at a local pet shelter. One of her physical therapists wrote: “Throughout Leah’s work in outpatient rehab, she always demonstrated an amazing amount of spirit. Her level of determination was a constant reminder of what is possible.”

The daughter of William and Leah (Dana) Saunders, Leah was born August 19, 1943 in Dearborn, Michigan where she spent her formative years. She graduated from Dearborn High School with honors and went on to receive her Bachelor of Science degree from Central Michigan University in 1965. As a result of her academic excellence and participation in student government, Leah appeared in the 1964-65 edition of Who’s Who in Colleges and Universities. Leah was also on the Homecoming court in both high school and college, as well as vice president of Alpha Epsilon Tau sorority.

In 1965, after Leah’s college graduation, the Saunders family relocated to Tucson, Arizona. Leah demonstrated her independence and courageous spirit by singularly moving further west to Del Rey Beach, California. Leah obtained work at Endocrine Science Biometrics lab where she served as office manager and an eventual investor.

In California Leah met and married Wendell Renken. She became an avid sailor, at one time living on a 46’ sailboat with Wendell. The couple sailed the Canadian and California coast and down into Mexico. They started a boat building business in Taiwan where they built seaworthy, Teakwood sailboats like their own. They had many friends they met on their journeys.

In 1978 Leah and Wendell parted ways, and Leah moved to Tucson to be close to her family. She began a new career as a real estate agent for Tower Realty in Green Valley. It was there she met the love of her life, Jerry Fileman, and they were married in 1991. Leah and Jerry shared a love of travel, fast cars, cats, and gardening. They traveled extensively together in the U.S. and abroad until Leah’s stroke. They enjoyed their beautiful home, gardening and their two cats, Gigi and Petey, until Jerry’s death in October 2011.

A series of post stroke, health related issues began to reverse many of the gains Leah made during her stroke recovery; and, after Jerry’s death, Leah required daily assisted living in her home. She had a team of wonderful caregivers who looked to her needs up to the time of her death. Leah never lost her sharp acuity; and, during the last year of her life, thoughtfully arranged all her business and end of life arrangements to spare her family from having to make these decisions during their grief.

Leah had an unquenchable spirit and loved helping her extensive family and the numerous charities she contributed to.

Leah was preceded in death by her parents, William and Leah Saunders and her husband Jerry Fileman.

Leah is survived by a brother, Gary Saunders (Susy) ; two sisters, Sondra Holman and Gayle Griffiths; two stepdaughters, Vicki Maravel and Wendy Ropa; numerous nieces, nephews, grandchildren and great grandchildren: Nieces and Nephews: Malinda Storm, Cheri Lester, Lisa McDonald and Leah Woolf; Gary William and Sabrina Saunders; Andrea Lawrence, Justin Williams, Cne’ Williams. Grandchildren: Lisa & Bruno Nanci, Brian Wood, Richard and Linda Brown, Brad and Rhonda Bergen. Great and Great Grandchildren: Anthony and Thomas Nanci, Jenna Sedeno, Jessia Taylor, Chelsea Stokes, Nathan and Ashley Wood, Sean and Aaron Bergen, Lowen, Liam and Lanz Taylor, Penny and Kae Stokes.

A memorial service will be held at the East Lawn Palms Mortuary chapel, 5801 E. Grant Road on July 16th at 3:00 p.m.

In lieu of flowers, contributions can be made to some of Leah’s favorite charities: St Jude’s; Doctors without Borders; Gospel Rescue Mission.