Leila Maya Spilker

1951 - 2023

Leila Maya (Price) Spilker passed away Nov. 27, 2023, in her home in Chiloquin, Ore. She was 72.

Leila was born June 10, 1951, in Pendleton, Ore., to Irvin Garth and Bonita (Martineau) Price, along with her twin brother, Leland "Mikey" Price.

Throughout her childhood and adolescence, Leila grew to be an avid reader, a passion she never lost. She found solace and fortitude in the adventures and turmoil experienced by literary characters.

Although childhood was difficult for Leila and her siblings, she was determined to build a better life.

While staring at her reflection at the young age of 12, Leila said she asked herself "Who do you want to be?" The realization that how she answered this question was her choice and hers alone ignited a fire in her to find a better path for herself, leading to her decision to have herself removed from her home and placed in foster care.

During her ensuing teenage years, Leila grew to blossom among her 30-plus foster sisters in the group home for girls where she lived until her 18th birthday, graduating from Union High School.

In that time, Leila and her sisters spent their after-school hours listening to the records of Janis Joplin, Creedence Clearwater Revival, the Beatles and everything in between. She carried their music in her thoughts and heart throughout her life, often sharing one of her favorite memories -singing along to the best of CCR on trips into town with her closest friends.

After attending post-secondary schooling for accounting, Leila worked for the Social Security Administration where she met her future mother-in-law. She was introduced to her son, Jon, and they began dating.

Jon and Leila married in 1971 and had two daughters, Jean Marie and Beverly, whom they loved more than anything else in this life.

The family lived in a countryside ranch in Thornhollow, Ore., where the parents would raise their children, a small farm and family pets.

It was in this home that Leila perfected her incredible artistic talent. Her oil paintings were uncannily realistic and a marvel to see.

After Leila and Jon divorced in 1983, Leila decided to move closer to her younger daughter, Beverly, who lived with her husband and a daughter of her own in Orlando, Fla.

In the summer of 2012, Leila returned to Oregon, purchasing a quaint home surrounded by birds and flowers in the town of Chiloquin.

Her declining health never stopped Leila from pressing forward. Nearly every day, she'd walk more than a mile to the Chiloquin post office and the neighboring library where she often spent her afternoons chatting with the local branch assistant. They became great friends and spent many days running errands and sharing stories.

In those last few years, Leila proved to be a talented storyteller, sharing a lifetime's worth of knowledge and memories in colorful detail. More than anything, her favorite stories to tell were those of her daughters, both of whom she was so proud.

Leila's good heart drove her to care for those in need, no matter the cost. She was a giving, kind, driven and stubborn person who only wished to do as much as she could for those she loved.

Leila loved shamrock shakes and Denzel Washington.

She saw the good in a person's soul regardless of status of their character.

She found joy in the simplest of things: chickadees and daffodils in spring; the gruff voices of John Fogerty and Janis Joplin on the radio; the affection of a young pit bull; the company of someone trying their best.

Miss Leila was a remarkable woman. While she never counted herself among the memorable, we know she was a rare type of extraordinary, and we'll always love and miss her.

Leila was preceded in death by her mother and father; her twin brother, Leland "Mikey" Price; her sisters, Vonita and Patricia Ann Price; her former husband, Jon Spilker. She is survived by her two daughters, Jean Marie Spilker and Beverly Spilker; her granddaughter, Tonya Knowles; her siblings, Robert (Linda) Price, Garth Price, William Anthony "Tony" Price and Brenda Price; her niece, Jessica Laughlin; and her close friends and loved ones in the Klamath Basin.

There will be no services held at this time. In honor of her life and memory, go out in the world and share an act of kindness with someone in need.