Barbara Ann Leishman

Barbara Ann Leishman, 84, of Leesburg, GA passed away peacefully at her home on Palm Sunday, March 29, 2026. A funeral Mass will be celebrated at 10:00 a.m., Wednesday, April 8th at St. Teresa’s Catholic Church, 421 Edgewood Lane, Albany, GA. The Rite of Committal will immediately follow at Crown Hill Cemetery. Father William Schierer of St. Michael Catholic Church in Annandale, VA and Father Nicholas Schierer of St. Rita Catholic Church in Alexandria, VA will be the celebrants for the funeral Mass. Barbara was immensely proud of Father William and Father Nicholas as they are her great nephews.

Barbara was born on February 24, 1942, in Union City, NJ, the daughter of the late Joseph and Magdaline (Bruggeman) Kopilok. She married the love of her life, Donald B. Leishman, on December 5, 1964. As a young couple with a newborn child, Donald and Barbara courageously moved from New Jersey to Winter Park, FL beginning a journey where they started their first of four homes during their 45 years of marriage. Barbara worked for a period of time as a bank teller at Sun Bank in Orlando, FL. However, her true dedication in life was to her husband and family. In 1976, Donald and Barbara relocated to Albany, GA with their first-born daughter, Helen, and soon had their second daughter, Kateri. She cherished her role as a stay-at-home mother, fully immersing herself in her daughters’ education, school extracurricular activities, hobbies, and daily lives. Her unwavering support, presence, and guidance shaped her family in countless ways.

Barbara enjoyed volunteering and having her daughters involved as well. She was active with countless school activities, United Way agencies, the Dougherty County Saddle Club, and with the St. Teresa’s Neighbors in Need Soup Kitchen for many years. Her most rewarding act of service was providing comfort and care to premature and disabled infants. Following Donald’s retirement, the couple continued to give back to the community by delivering meals to seniors through Meals-on-Wheels. Barbara enjoyed gardening and working in her yard. Some of her favorite garden flowers were azaleas, hydrangeas, lilies, and roses. She also enjoyed any opportunity to go shopping. In addition, Barbara’s favorite vacations always included a visit to a casino where she would spend hours playing the slot machines. Her most memorable vacation was a couple’s getaway to Las Vegas with her husband, her brother-in-law, Tom Leishman, and his wife, Carol. She also enjoyed casino trips to Atlantic City, NJ, Biloxi, MS, Atmore and Montgomery, AL, and Cherokee, NC. Even though Barbara might say she did not enjoy cooking, there were always delicious meals prepared in her kitchen, and her handwritten recipe cards will be cherished forever. One of her greatest joys was seeing loved ones gathered around the dining room table, especially during the holidays.

Barbara cherished being a grandmother, affectionately known as NaNa, and she was incredibly involved in her grandchildren’s upbringing. Her youngest grandson’s favorite memory of his NaNa is when she came to his school to read to the class, and she brought homemade cookies for all the students. Barbara always marveled that she lived into her eighties, and she was extremely proud and thankful to have seen her grandchildren grow into young adults.

Barbara loved animals, and the family always had pets in the home whether it be multiple cats, dogs, turtles, fish, and gerbils. In support of her youngest daughter’s love of horses, the family even had a beautiful white Arabian horse. Barbara’s best companion over the past 7 years has been her sweet fur baby. Bella was her loyal protector— barking at anyone who came to the home, following everywhere she went, providing steadfast comfort, and even alerting others when Barbara needed medical assistance.

Barbara will always be remembered for her devotion to her family and Catholic faith. Her strength and resilience are characteristics admired by the entire family. Her daughters, Helen and Kateri, take comfort in knowing that their parents are reunited in Heaven watching over them, guiding them, and encouraging them to always follow their dreams.

Barbara is preceded in death by her beloved husband, Donald B. Leishman; her brother, James Kopilok; sister, Margaret Lawrence; brother-in-law, Rolland Lawrence; sisters-in-law, Dorothy Leishman, Lucille Moloney, and Carol Leishman; brothers-in-law, George Leishman and Richard Moloney; dear aunts, Rosette and Myrtle Bruggeman; uncles, William and Richard Bruggeman; cousin, Ellen Bruggeman; niece, Helen Moloney; and grandson, Cody Justice.

Barbara is survived by her daughters, Helen Morris and her husband, Jay Morris of Lawrenceville, GA and Kateri Justice and her husband, Ron Justice of Bronwood, GA. “NaNa” will be very much missed by her grandchildren, Chandler Rowe, Benjamin Galinski, Dakota Justice, Jessica Rogers and her husband, Josh Rogers, and great grandsons, Justin Rogers and soon to be born Jetson Rogers, along with many nieces and nephews, including her sister’s two daughters, Ann Schierer of Oak Hill, VA and Lieser Metzger of Naples, FL. Barbara is also lovingly remembered by her brother-in-law, Tom Leishman of Wilsonville, OR and her only surviving first cousin on her side of the family, Richard Bruggeman of Grove City, OH.

Flowers are appreciated, or memorials may be made to the Humane Society of Terrell County where Bella was adopted. www.myhstc.org