Leland Winfred Topham, Jr.

Fri, Jan 2 at 12:36 PM

Leland Winfred Topham, Jr.

Leland Winfred Topham, Jr., passed away peacefully on November 13, 2025, in Portland, Oregon, surrounded by his loved ones. He leaves behind his wife, Ann; his children, Tim, Sean, and Cristina; and his stepchildren, William, Robert, and Michael Drew. He is predeceased by his parents, Leland W Topham Sr. and Norma Gleason Topham, and his younger sister, Dede.

Lee was born in Hollywood, California, on December 27, 1937. Upon graduation from Van Nuys High School in 1956, he enlisted in the U.S. Coast Guard and served two years active duty in Hawaii, Samoa, and the Arctic, where he re-supplied Distant Early Warning (DEW) Line radar stations. Following his military service, he attended the University of Southern California, studying Psychology and Business and was an active member and house manager of the Sigma Phi Epsilon fraternity.

In 1965, Lee married Leona Baida, adopted her son, Tim, and shortly after moved from Los Angeles to Burlingame, California, where their son, Sean, and daughter, Cristina, were born. Following their divorce, Lee met his future wife, Ann in 1977 on a blind date in New Orleans. They were married soon after in Lake Tahoe and shared 47 devoted years together.

Lee began his career in the insurance industry, earning a Chartered Life Underwriter (CLU) designation and becoming a member of the Million Dollar Round Table. In the late 80s, he purchased a warehouse property in Millbrae, California, and converted it into self storage and wine storage. It was the first temperature-controlled wine storage facility in the U. S. not owned by a wine retailer. In time, he fulfilled his lifelong passion for wine by becoming a Negociant, sourcing wines from producers and placing it in the hands of retail.

He and Ann moved to the Napa Valley in 1990, where they volunteered for the Napa Valley Wine Auction and were board members of the St. Helena Farmer's Market. Lee is fondly remembered for his spirited portrayal of the Greek god Bacchus in the Calistoga Mustard Festival Parade. In 2005, Lee and Ann relocated to Oregon, purchasing a home among the vineyards in Talent, just north of the Siskiyou Mountains.

Lee loved the great outdoors. He brought scout troops to the Sierras in the 1960s and planned ski, hunting, and fishing adventures with close friends. He also organized memorable family camping trips, including a horse-pack expedition into the High Sierras, a fly-fishing journey on the John Day River, and a bird-hunting trip to Bolivia. He was a history buff and book enthusiast. If he wasn't hunting or fishing or working through Annie's honey-do list, he could easily be found sitting at the kitchen table with a black Labrador Retriever at his feet, a cigar in his mouth ,and his nose in a book. As a passionate cook, he loved creating meals for friends and family and his Burro Breath Chili was a prize-winner.

Lee was a gifted storyteller with a wry sense of humor. His songs, jokes, limericks, and colorful tales brought joy to everyone around. Even in his final days, the kind caregivers who helped care for him cherished his jokes, observations, and conversation.

Lee's life was celebrated in Spring Lake, New Jersey, at an Irish publik house and included the music of his beloved "Pipes". Another Celebration of Life including his West Coast family and friends is being planned for the springtime in Southern Oregon.

In lieu of flowers, donations can be made to the Alzheimer's Association or Providence Portland Medical Foundation/Behavioral Health.