Zelma Lois Crow Leslie
May 16, 1927 – February 8, 2018
Funeral services for Zelma Leslie will be held 3:00 PM Sunday, February 11, 2018 at the Heartland Funeral Home of Early. Interment will be in the Blanket Cemetery. The family will receive friends from 2:00 PM until 3:00 PM prior her service.
Zelma Lois Crow Leslie was born in Marshall County, Oklahoma on May 16, 1927. She passed from this life on February 8, 2018 at the age of 90. She was a resident of CARE Nursing Facility, Early, Texas.
Mrs. Leslie was preceded in death by both of her parents, Claud Cecil Crow and Hester Jane Roberts Crow, her husband, Lloyd Kenneth Leslie, two sisters, Fannie May Crow and Vila Anderson. She is survived by two sons, Wendyl Keith Leslie and wife Carolyn Minson Leslie of Boerne, Texas, and Jerry Dean Leslie and wife Janet L’Roy Leslie of Brownwood, Texas. She also has five grandchildren: Keith Leslie and wife Pam Marshall Leslie of San Antonio, Texas; Dustin Leslie and wife Sarah Leslie of Boerne, Texas; and Brooke Leslie Anderson and husband, Curtis Anderson, of Sherwood, Oregon; Jeffrey Leslie and wife Tiffany Bradford Leslie of San Antonio; Jennifer Leslie Chen and husband Andy Chen of Mansfield, Texas. She has 19 great-grandchildren.
Mrs. Leslie was raised in and around Marshall County, Oklahoma. She attended school in Madill, Oklahoma and graduated high school from Russett High School. She met Lloyd in her high school years. Upon his return from World War II they would marry in 1946. Their first son, Wendyl, was born in 1947 and Jerry was born in 1948. She and Lloyd would reside in Ada, Oklahoma and raise their family there until 1962 when Lloyd would accept employment in Duncan, Oklahoma. Lloyd and Zelma would move to McAlester, Oklahoma for a few years, move to Garland, Texas to own and operate a Sonic Drive-In and then return McAlester to buy country property, build a new home and raise cattle. In time they would move to Wilson, Oklahoma to do the same there and then move to Ardmore, Oklahoma during retirement years.
But, being so far away from the rest of the family who resided in Texas, they would make other moves to be closer to the children and growing number of grandchildren and great-grandchildren. First in Utopia, Texas, then to Boerne, Texas. Aging and needing more support they would move to the Brown County, Texas area in 2005.
Mrs. Leslie, in addition to being a wonderful homemaker, seamstress, and cook, also worked in several of the above-mentioned locations in the Department of Public Safety, Licensing Division. She was not only very efficient in her performance but was very people-minded and gracious. She was loved by her co-workers and appreciated and enjoyed by the public.
She was a deeply religious person. She was a bible class teacher for many years and faithful in attendance and worship. She lived her life as a Christian, serving others. She was a devoted wife, a loving mother, grandmother and great-grandmother. She was a member of the 4th and Stewart Church of Christ in Brownwood at the time of her death.
Mrs. Leslie was loved by her family. She took an interest in all the children and loved talking with them. She was famous in the family for her chicken and dumplings. Everything she cooked was from “scratch.” You could always find her in the kitchen preparing everyone’s favorite items in meals. Cherry pies made the Top Ten list every year.
Memorials may be sent to Cherokee Children’s Home, Cherokee, Texas.
Online condolences may be left for the family at www.heartlandfuneralhome.net
