Florence Arlene Backstrom

GRAFTON - Florence Arlene “Leigh” Backstrom, 85, passed away peacefully on Friday, December 26, 2025 at UMass Memorial Medical Center North Pavilion in Worcester.

Born in Worcester, on March 4, 1940, Leigh was the daughter of the late Oke F. W. Backstrom and Arlene (Carlson) Backstrom. She grew up in Worcester and was a graduate of North High School. Leigh went on to earn a Bachelor of Fine Arts degree from the Rhode Island School of Design and later received her Master’s degree in Art Education from Assumption College.

Leigh devoted more than 30 years to teaching art in the Worcester Public School System, most notably at North High School, where she inspired generations of students with her creativity, dedication, and love of learning. Prior to her teaching career, she also worked as a commercial artist. She was a proud member of the Educational Association of Massachusetts and the National Education Association.

A woman of wide-ranging interests, Leigh was an avid golfer and bowler and belonged to the Worcester County Golf League and the Leicester Ladies League. Over the years, she earned numerous trophies recognizing her skill and sportsmanship. Beyond athletics, she was deeply engaged in the arts and sciences, an accomplished artist, an amateur mathematician and astronomer, a devoted historian, and an enthusiastic reader. She was also a life member of the New York, New Haven & Hartford Railroad Historical Association.

Leigh was predeceased by her brother, Oke F. W. Backstrom, Jr., and her sister, Karen Pezzano. She is survived by several nieces and nephews, to whom she was a cherished aunt.

Relatives and friends are invited to visit with Leigh’s family for a period of Calling Hours on Friday, January 2, 2026, from 9:00 a.m. to 11:00 a.m. at the Miles Funeral Home, 1158 Main Street, Holden. A Funeral Service will immediately follow at 11:00 a.m. Interment will take place in the spring.