LEANNE / JADE
God blessed LeAnne with beauty!! Through her appearance, her loving concern for others and her talents - art and music - she truly made a difference in the world. LeAnne loved life and all it had to offer and lived more in her 45 years than many people do in a life time!
LeAnne was born on August 14, 1968 in Cleveland, Ohio. Our family lived in Bay Village Ohio until she was 1 1/2 years old. The family moved to Miami Florida when her Dad was transferred by Gulf Oil to work in Latin America. When it was time for kindergarten, another transfer took the family to Wilmington, Delaware but as first grade approached, there would be another transfer to Arlington Heights, Illinois in the Chicago area. January 1, 1975 was spent at the Cotton Bowl as our new address would be Dallas Texas for the next 6 months. Third grade through eighth grade, LeAnne studied at Ponderosa Elementary and Bammel Middle School in Houston Texas (thank goodness!).
Looking forward to her high school years, LeAnne had another challenge, the last family transfer to affect her young life. She was so fortunate to be able to study and partake of all that Glenbard South High School in Glen Ellyn Illinois had to offer. As a cheerleader during her four years, GSHS won the World championship in 1984 and Illinois State Championship in 1985. The state championship squad has been inducted into the Illinois Cheer leading Hall of Fame. Upon graduation, LeAnne attended Indiana University as a voice major and was a member of Pi Beta Phi Sorority. During her sophomore year she transferred to Harrington Institute of Interior Design in Chicago where she earned her Bachelor of Arts in Interior Design.
LeAnne continued on her mobile journey after college graduation to New York City and traveled to eight countries in Europe performing with the Broadway Cast of "Hair". After accomplishing her goals and desire to perform, she moved to Houston Texas to begin her interior design career which found her back in Chicago and then on to Miami Florida
"Your life does not get better by chance, it gets better by change" - Jim Rohn
LeAnne always loved to draw and create. Singing was very important to her as well. She began performing at the age of nine by auditioning for the movie "Annie" and singing solos in "Starmaker" shows in Houston. At GSHS, LeAnne was a member of Swing Choir, Madrigals, Concert Choir and was in all four musicals - "Brigadoon", "Music Man", "Mame", and "Flower Drum Song". During her college years she performed in "Baby", had the leads in "Man of LaMancha", "Little Shop of Horrors" and "Do Black Patent Leather Shoes Really Reflect Up?". While attending Harrington in Chicago and working on her bachelors degree, LeAnne worked as a "singing waitstaff" at the Fairmont Hotel. They were known for singing Happy Birthday to the Hallelujah Chorus for many famous people. Her other brushes with celebrities were in high school when, Sean Hayes (of "Will and Grace") accompanied her at recitals on the piano. She was also a part of a two woman singing group, LeBude which opened for Salt-n-Pepa at the Wisconsin State Fair. While living in NYC she sang at Tripletts restaurant in Soho and aboard the "Spirit of New York" before going on the Broadway European Tour of "Hair".
After working for several design firms in Houston, Chicago and Miami, LeAnne opened her own design company, WOW! interior design. She created beautiful high-end interior design in homes from Jupiter to South Beach Florida. (workofwonder.com).
LeAnne's greatest accomplishment is her daughter, Jade who was born in 2004. She bravely fought her battle with cancer to have as much time as possible to share with her. LeAnne's love of life lives on in her beautiful daughter, Jade.
Let's keep LeAnne's zest for life, kindness for everyone, passion for music and the arts alive!!