Leah Orr

Leah Orr, friend to all the world, long-time Indianapolis resident, renowned weaver, fabric and telephone wire sculptor, Art teacher, urban pioneer, and cat whisperer, passed away on Monday, July 29. She gave her life to helping others and asked for little in return.

Born in Hammond, Indiana, she was the last surviving child of Rose (Collette) and Raymond Orr and the last surviving sister to Collette (Kenward), Colleen (Abate), John, and Sharon (Fisko) and their spouses. She is survived by her many nieces and nephews and a brother-in-law who imagine and hope that Leah and her family are gathered with drinks in hand, joyfully celebrating being together again at last.

Leah dedicated much of her life to revitalizing the St. Joseph Historic Neighborhood starting in the 1970s when she moved into the 1860s commercial building on the corner of Alabama and St. Joseph streets, where she lived until 2018. She saw abandonment and devastation and dared to imagine life, saw the good in everyone she met, and became the neighborhood’s strongest and most effective community organizer. Mayors, city leaders, old-time residents, young urban pioneers, and lovers of urban architecture knew her name and regarded her with awe as her beloved neighborhood sprouted green shoots and came roaring back to life. In her later years she became a researcher for the Riley Area Development Corp. and helped the city recover some of its lost history. 

A celebration of life will be held on September 14, 2024, from 1:00PM-3:30PM at 926 North Alabama, Indianapolis, Indiana, 46202.