Jean L. Leathers, 89, of Bolivar, passed away Wednesday, January 24, 2018 at NHC Healthcare in Somerville.
The widow of "Dude" Leathers, who died on February 20, 2005 after 57 years of marriage, she was retired as a billing/clerical clerk with Bolivar Electric, retiring around 1990 after 25 years. She was born Thursday, April 5, 1928, in Gary, Indiana, daughter of the late Percy Clyde Lax and Mary Louise Wheeler Lax and lived her adult life in Bolivar. She met Leonard Carey "Dude" Leathers as a young teenager while driving to Mercer with her father, at E. C. Baldwin's Store in Cloverport, and they were married on October 22, 1948. She was salutatorian of Bolivar Central High School's Class of 1945 and worked for Dr. R. L. Cobb at the health department and at Bolivar Elementary School prior to her employment with Bolivar Electric. Described as a 'sweet' and 'elegant' lady, she loved to shop in the malls while her husband sat and watched, host Canasta parties, was known for being an excellent seamstress, and cooking for her family. Mrs. Leathers was a member of Bolivar First Baptist Church where she formerly taught Sunday School and was active in VBS.
Services are officiated by Warren Adams and Earl Dowty. Serving as casket bearers are Matthew Leathers, Howard Kemp, Jimmy Maxwell, Duane Lax, Mike and Terry Henry, Steve Hornsby, Stan Rush, Rob Thompson and Greg Vaughan.
Survivors include a daughter and her husband, Linda Jean Leathers Kemp (David) of Parker, TX; a son and his wife, Gary Lynn Leathers (Debbie) of Bolivar; four grandchildren, Rebecca Kemp Parks (Steve), Keri Bishop Taylor (Ted), Howard Davis Kemp, II (Jennifer) and Matthew Leathers; and eight great grandchildren, Michael, Hudson and Ashland Parks, Landon, Ted O. and Gage Taylor, David Kemp, II and Ava Kemp. In addition to her husband and her parents, she was preceded in death by a granddaughter, Laura Elizabeth Kemp Alvarado. The family requests memorial donations in her name be made to the National Alzheimer's Association (www.alz.org/donate) or the Bolivar First Baptist Church.