Marla Magill Leeper
Marla Magill Leeper
March 22, 1951 — December 24, 2019
Marla Magill Leeper of Council Grove, Kansas, died peacefully Dec. 24, 2019 in New Braunfels, Texas, surrounded by the love of her family. She went to be with the Lord at the age of 68 after a battle with cholangiocarcinoma that lasted nearly five years.
Marla was born in Kansas City, Missouri on March 22, 1951 to Marge and Larry Magill. She graduated from Shawnee Mission East High School in 1969, and SMU in Dallas, Texas in 1973 where she also earned a master’s degree in education in 1974. Marla primarily taught bilingual pre-k and kindergarten during her long career, with stops in Richardson, Texas; New Braunfels, Texas; and Kingsland, Texas. After retiring, Marla loved serving as director of Bluebonnet Methodist Preschool in Marble Falls, Texas, but left for her planned move back to the Midwest in 2015.
She actively served the church and community wherever God saw fit to situate her. In her last years, she was a member of Council Grove United Methodist, where she taught Sunday School; she served as a Hospital Auxilian at Morris County Hospital and was a member of PEO Chapter H. Marla loved books, was a master gardener, and volunteered at libraries reading to children.
Marla was predeceased by her parents; and brother, Larry Magill Jr. Marla is survived by her husband, Kevin Leeper of Council Grove, Kansas; and her three children, Michael (Allison) Leach of New Braunfels, Texas, Jason (Cari) Leach of New Braunfels, Texas, and Alison (Terrance) Hines of Houston, Texas; and their father, Al Leach of New Braunfels, Texas.
Marla leaves a legacy of family love. She was a loving matriarch in the lives of her grandchildren, Emily, Kristen, Carter, William, Isaac, Tessa, Caleb, Jordan, Kennedy and Olivia. Famous for her annual summer Grandma Camp (“you must be four to apply”), they were her world, and she theirs.
Marla was blessed with the support of two loving families: Steve (Marie) Magill of Oxford, Kansas; Carrie Magill of Topeka, Kansas; Kent (Tess) Magill of Kansas City, Missouri; Rick (Sarah) Magill of Naperville, Illinois; and many dear Holm cousins and Magill nieces and nephews; Kevin's sons, Alex Leeper and Jay Leeper of New Braunfels, Texas; parents, Dr. Sid and Mary Jean Leeper of Columbia, Missouri; Karen (Scott) Stone of Columbia, Missouri; Amy (Troy) Bowers of Manhattan, Kansas; Nancy (Wayne) Wilkening of Sumerville, South Carolina; and the Leeper nieces and nephews fondly remember their world-wide trips with Marla and Kevin.
The core of Marla’s identity was rooted in her deep and abiding faith in Christ, evidenced by the strength, grace and dignity with which she lived and died. Her generous spirit and servant’s heart allowed her to quickly make long-lasting friendships wherever she lived. Marla was as much admired as she inspired.
A memorial service will be held at Council Grove United Methodist Church on Friday, Jan. 3 at 1 p.m. A second remembrance will be held at First United Methodist Church in Marble Falls, Texas, on Jan. 11, 2020 at 11 a.m.
If you wish, in lieu of flowers, memorials may be directed to YoungLives New Braunfels, 1274 Fox Glen, New Braunfels, Texas 78130; or Morris County Hospital Foundation, 600 North Washington, Council Grove, Kansas 66846.
