Letty Millicent Haigh

1938 - 2025

Letty Millicent Haigh

Letty Millicent Haigh passed away peacefully August 14, 2025, at age 87. Born and raised in Manheim, Pennsylvania, she entered kindergarten at the age of four. She attended Ursinus College in Collegeville, PA, near Philadelphia, where she majored in French and joined the Omega Chi sorority. On a blind date in her junior year, Letty met the love of her life, Elmer Haigh. Their 66-year marriage began the week after her graduation in Valley Forge, PA.

Letty loved languages. She studied Latin, French, Spanish and Esperanto-a language developed after World War II that sounds like many languages combined. Her mother, Louise, a self-taught artist, inspired Letty's love for the arts. Great literature captivated Letty with many hours spent reading and reflecting upon the works of Marcel Proust and the Existentialists – especially Camus and Sartre. For a short period, she taught high school French in Philadelphia after college.

In her earlier married years, she, Elmer and her two children moved eight times to and within New Jersey, Pennsylvania and Ohio, as Elmer's professional responsibilities with Owens-Illinois expanded. She and Elmer traveled the country for corporate and personal reasons, as well as finding deep connection with Spain and Italy. In each new locale, Letty would readily make friends and open her home to all those who appreciated thoughtful conversation and varying perspectives.

In the mid-1970s, Letty and Elmer settled in Sylvania, Ohio. Letty became active with the Toledo Opera, Toledo Symphony and Toledo Museum of Art – where she served as an art docent for 38 years. Previously she was a docent at the Columbus Museum of Art for 2 ½ years. She was also a member of the National Docent Symposium Council. Letty liked to use the Socratic method on her art tours – making sure each participant remained engaged by drawing them into the works with questions about what they saw. She formed and led a multi-decade long book club that met monthly, discussed complex works, and had a lengthy waiting list for those wanting to join. Letty was a firm believer in a Liberal Arts education. She played the piano and was riveted by classical music.

Athletics were paramount to Letty - for health, competition and joy! In her youth she reveled in playing field hockey - wing position. She loved tennis and played regularly for most of her adult life. She was a fearsome and creative duplicate bridge player - who occasionally gave Elmer fits with her bidding!

Most of all, Letty cherished her family and friends. She loved being with Elmer and her two children, Denise and Eric, their spouses, and her grandchildren and great-grandchild, and they with her.

Letty contracted Parkinson's disease in her sixties that eventually took its toll. She did everything in her power to ensure that the affliction remained in the background, as she continued to lead a full and active life. As new doctors came into the picture, it was not uncommon for her to decide whom to choose based on whether he or she spoke French! Her Episcopalian religion grounded and comforted her, as did the members of the church.

Sharing with others and making all in her presence feel welcomed and engaged personified everything she did. She and Elmer entertained their diverse and ever-expanding circle of family and friends often. Letty made the world a far more interesting and better place.

A special call out to the numerous caregivers at Otterbein Sunset Village in Sylvania, Ohio, for the extraordinary and compassionate care they provided to Letty and Elmer for almost a decade. As an avid gardener, it was fitting that in her final afternoons, she could be seen wearing her straw hat surrounded by the sunflowers she had planted months earlier.

Letty was predeceased by her parents, Oscar Henry and Louise Eleanor (Winger) Achey; her husband, Elmer Haigh Jr. Surviving her are daughter, Denise (Richard) Arnos; son, Eric Haigh; grandchildren, Claire Arnos, Caroline Arnos, Sarah Haigh (Logan Hufford), Ethan Haigh; great-grandchild, Linden Hufford; sister, Mary Susan (Henry) Kirchner; sister-in-law, June (Haigh) Ross; nieces and a nephew.

Letty held a special fondness for the Toledo Museum of Art, Toledo Symphony, Toledo Opera, Metroparks Toledo and Otterbein Sunset Village Senior Life Community.

Funeral arrangements are being handled by Reeb Funeral Home. A celebration of life is planned for Letty beginning at 11 a.m., on October 25th, at St. Michael's in the Hills Episcopal Church. A reception will follow at the Toledo Country Club for family and friends.