Roberta "Bobbie" Leahey
March 4, 1941 ~ July 5, 2020
Bobbie departed this life on Sunday July 5, 2020. She leaves COL Raymond Leahey, Ret. (Oakton, VA) her husband of 55 years, her son Sean (Oakton, VA) and goddaughter Kristen Korber (Flower Mound, TX) along with a host of relatives and friends. Her parents Robert and Lillian Fenwick preceded her in death.
From her earliest days growing up in Greybull and Douglas, Wyoming, Bobbie was surrounded by music. She graduated from the University of Denver as a voice and opera major and earned a Masters of Music from Michigan State University. After college Bobbie travelled through Europe singing with the USO. Romance under the Eiffel Tower in Paris was responsible for her marriage in 1965 to a handsome young Army Lieutenant who whisked her off to Japan as his wife.
As a young Army wife, Bobbie quickly found the compassionate leadership role she became known for: she founded a program of direct support for the Trauma Center critical care patient as a Red Cross Volunteer at Camp Drake in Tokyo. At the same time she taught English to the Japanese Ground Self Defense Force’s Medical School senior members, making lifelong friends.
The Army took the Leaheys back to Texas where Bobbie continued her volunteer efforts supporting her husband as only military, diplomatic and business wives know so well. Great happiness came when they adopted their son, Sean. Sean followed the family tradition of choral singing which gave Bobbie many years of pure delight.
Bobbie became a Realtor after moving to Virginia. She last worked for Weichert Realtors in Oakton. She also served 23 years as the director of the Washington Tokyo Women’s Club (WTWC) Chorus. The chorus is a collection of music lovers of all levels of experience who under Bobbie’s leadership have sung on many stages including at the Kennedy Center for the Asian Music Festival and served as the Opera Chorus for a local production of La Boheme. Bobbie was also a member of the PEO International, a Philanthropic Educational Organization. The sisterhood helps women motivate other women to achieve their highest aspirations.
In 1999 tragedy struck Bobbie down with kidney failure. She underwent dialysis for 5 years while working full time and directing the WTWC Chorus. She met the illness head on supported by her deep faith and on Easter Sunday 2004 she received a donor kidney. Bobbie was a fervent supporter of Donate Life America where she served as a motivational speaker, and coach for past and future donor recipients.
Bobbie will be remembered for weaving the sparkle. the colors, the enthusiasm and the rich and gentle harmony of music into so many lives. We are all the richer for her contribution to our tapestry of life.
Bobbie will be inurned at Arlington National Cemetery at a future date, that date will be posted on Bobbie’s page on the Money and King Funeral Home website.
The family requests donations in Bobbie’s name be made to the National Kidney Foundation. www.kidney.org.
From her earliest days growing up in Greybull and Douglas, Wyoming, Bobbie was surrounded by music. She graduated from the University of Denver as a voice and opera major and earned a Masters of Music from Michigan State University. After college Bobbie travelled through Europe singing with the USO. Romance under the Eiffel Tower in Paris was responsible for her marriage in 1965 to a handsome young Army Lieutenant who whisked her off to Japan as his wife.
As a young Army wife, Bobbie quickly found the compassionate leadership role she became known for: she founded a program of direct support for the Trauma Center critical care patient as a Red Cross Volunteer at Camp Drake in Tokyo. At the same time she taught English to the Japanese Ground Self Defense Force’s Medical School senior members, making lifelong friends.
The Army took the Leaheys back to Texas where Bobbie continued her volunteer efforts supporting her husband as only military, diplomatic and business wives know so well. Great happiness came when they adopted their son, Sean. Sean followed the family tradition of choral singing which gave Bobbie many years of pure delight.
Bobbie became a Realtor after moving to Virginia. She last worked for Weichert Realtors in Oakton. She also served 23 years as the director of the Washington Tokyo Women’s Club (WTWC) Chorus. The chorus is a collection of music lovers of all levels of experience who under Bobbie’s leadership have sung on many stages including at the Kennedy Center for the Asian Music Festival and served as the Opera Chorus for a local production of La Boheme. Bobbie was also a member of the PEO International, a Philanthropic Educational Organization. The sisterhood helps women motivate other women to achieve their highest aspirations.
In 1999 tragedy struck Bobbie down with kidney failure. She underwent dialysis for 5 years while working full time and directing the WTWC Chorus. She met the illness head on supported by her deep faith and on Easter Sunday 2004 she received a donor kidney. Bobbie was a fervent supporter of Donate Life America where she served as a motivational speaker, and coach for past and future donor recipients.
Bobbie will be remembered for weaving the sparkle. the colors, the enthusiasm and the rich and gentle harmony of music into so many lives. We are all the richer for her contribution to our tapestry of life.
Bobbie will be inurned at Arlington National Cemetery at a future date, that date will be posted on Bobbie’s page on the Money and King Funeral Home website.
The family requests donations in Bobbie’s name be made to the National Kidney Foundation. www.kidney.org.
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The Owners and Staff at the Money and King Funeral Home, wish to express our sincere sympathy to you. It is our hope that we may be able to make a difficult time more bearable. Please feel free to call us anytime as we are always available to you. Bob Gallagher Funeral Director
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