Leanna E. Gary

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Leanna Elizabeth Gary, affectionately known as “Chick”, was born February 15, 1928 in Indianapolis, Indiana, the only city she ever called home. She was born to Leslie Lee Caldwell (1898-1973) and Clara Torrence (neé Willis; 1903-1922). Her parents both hailed from Jackson, Mississippi, and moved north to Indianapolis around 1921 as some of the earliest Black families taking part in the country’s Great Migration. Chick was the fifth of eight-child born to her mother (Ruth, Earl, Alberta, Betty, Rebecca, Harry, Frances) and was named after her paternal grandmother, Leanna Elizabeth Smith (1882-1940). Her two older sisters, Ruth and Alberta died young, and her older brother Earl left the home young. Her big sister closest in age to her, Betty Jane Allen, became her best friend in life for the 72 years they shared this earth together. Betty gave Leanna her nickname because she was always following her around like her little “chick”. Chick is survived by her siblings through her mother’s second marriage to Virgil Torrence, Harry and Rebecca Torrence Wells. Chick married her husband of 57 years, Robert Gary, on February 7, 1945, when they were 17 and 18 years old, respectively. 

Despite her young age she took on the full-time and life-long roles of “homemaker”, “mama”, and “grandmama” to the 9 children they raised together (Robert “Tookie”, Anthony “Tony” (both proceeded her in death), Donald, William, Daniel “Danny” Gary, Brenda Sykes, Linda Miller, Patti J. Glover, Clara D. Russell as well as their 32 grandchildren, 40+ great-grandchildren, and dozens of great-great grandchildren. 3 Daughters-in-law, Barbara, Fleecy, Fran, 3 Sons-in-law, James Miller, George Russell, Kenneth Glover, Sr, and a host of Nephews, Nieces, and Family. 

Chick was a person of equal measures resolve and humor. She raised her first three children before single-use diapers was a thing. Until her third child was born, she was still washing clothes by hand with hand-pumped water. She never knew the convenience of a dishwasher that wasn’t her own hands until she was well past 60. 

Because of her tenacious spirit, around the time when all her children were in school, (her husband had cut her “allowance”), so she had to find another way to have funds for her “extracurricular activities”. She took a part-time job in her spear time at Commercial Tile Laundry and for a short period worked for Sweeney Janitorial and Broad Ripple Nursing Home. Around the time she reached the age of 60 her husband mentioned in passing that he after the purchase of a new truck, no longer needed his car and was thinking about selling it. She protested that she could have the car if he no longer needed it. Her husband pointed out she didn’t know how to drive, had never driven, and didn’t have a license. Again, with tenacity, in less than a year she had her license, had that car, and was on the streets of Napp. Picking up her riders, one being her best friend and sister, Betty Allen going the Traveler’s Rest for various church activities and following going to dinner. She didn’t achieve these things with malice in her heart. Rather, she did so with a smile and a “I told you so” that gave you inspiration and laughter. 

She recounted that story to many of her family often in her later years while in her recliner watching her favorite “Gunsmoke” and still snacking on sweets that her diabetes said she needed to stop with 30 years ago. As she transitioned from active parenting children to mothering and grand mothering adults, her phone and living room was alive every day her last 30 years with family visits, folk calling for advice on baby names, new jobs, marriage, parenting, managing conflict with siblings, in-laws, etc. 

She had so much love for her family and gave all she had to her children and their offspring while she was living. 

 Cameran J Bailey, Grandson

Flower Bearers,

In lieu of flowers, the Leanna Gary family would like donations to be made payable to Travelers Rest Baptist Church, 3731 Boulevard Pl. Indianapolis, IN 46208 in her loving memory.