I remember the first day Leigh showed up at Santa Maria High. It was the start of our sophomore year and he had come from Taft. I told him about the swim team and he said he was a swimmer and would like to be on the team. I told him we needed a butterflyer and he said he could do that. I told him I was in Hy-Y and he said he wanted to join. I told him I was going to join Jr. Statesmen and he said he wanted to join that too. We were also in DeMolay and double dated alot. We played water polo and both got jobs a life guards at Paul Nelson pool. Someone, who knew us both well, said we were interchangeable. Shortly after we graduated from school and before we went off to our respective colleges, I was his paul-bearer. He was killed riding his new 10 speed bike on the old Orcutt road. I am not sure I will ever get over it.
Leigh embraced all he did with determination to excel. He was everybody's best friend. There was a huge turn out at his funeral service even though many of the class had already departed for college.
A Young life ended before it really began~ leaving a hollow spot in many of hearts.
Leonard Deaton (Deaton)
I remember the first day Leigh showed up at Santa Maria High. It was the start of our sophomore year and he had come from Taft. I told him about the swim team and he said he was a swimmer and would like to be on the team. I told him we needed a butterflyer and he said he could do that. I told him I was in Hy-Y and he said he wanted to join. I told him I was going to join Jr. Statesmen and he said he wanted to join that too. We were also in DeMolay and double dated alot. We played water polo and both got jobs a life guards at Paul Nelson pool. Someone, who knew us both well, said we were interchangeable. Shortly after we graduated from school and before we went off to our respective colleges, I was his paul-bearer. He was killed riding his new 10 speed bike on the old Orcutt road. I am not sure I will ever get over it.
Sherry Haslam (Fitz-Gerald)
Summer after graduation, Leigh and I took a bus trip up to Walnut Creek to visit Jud Hughes and his
sister, Pam. I was dating Jud, long distance at that time. Leigh and Jud were on the swim team together
at Santa Maria, before Jud's family moved to Alamo, Ca., right next to Walnut Creek. They had a beautiful
pool, so most of that week or so was spent in the warm weather around the pool, with both boys having
the time of their lives. I still have some great pictures of that time. We came back together on the bus
to Santa Maria and it wasn't long after that that he was killed. His parents held a very sad wake for him
at their home amongst a lot of tears. Jud came down for the funeral. I remember thinking that at
least he had had a happy time with friends before he died.
Leila Graham (Randall)
Leigh embraced all he did with determination to excel. He was everybody's best friend. There was a huge turn out at his funeral service even though many of the class had already departed for college.
A Young life ended before it really began~ leaving a hollow spot in many of hearts.
Leila & Mike Randall