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Leigh Donley Obituary

Leigh Margaret Donley 1956-2009 Leigh Margaret Donley died February 13, 2009 after a two-and-one-half-year battle with breast cancer. Born August 29, 1956 in Glendale, CA, Leigh spent most of her childhood in Fresno. She graduated from Bullard High in Fresno in 1974, and attended U.C. Berkeley, where she graduated in 1982 with a B.S. in Conservation of Natural Resources. She later completed her Master's in Library and Information Studies at U.C. Berkeley in 1986, after which she enjoyed a long and varied career as a librarian, most recently with the City of Berkeley Public Library. Leigh met her husband, Greg Fite, at U.C. Berkeley in 1975. They were married in 1984, and lived in El Cerrito, San Leandro and most recently in Castro Valley. They have three children, Annie (17), David (13) and William (9). Leigh leaves behind her mother, Pearl Donley; and sister, Leisa Donley, both of Clovis, CA; sister Leslie Donley, of Bothell, WA; and brother, Bruce Donley of South Lake Tahoe, CA; nieces Mariah and Melody Mandelbaum of Clovis; and nephew Jasper Donley of South Lake Tahoe. Her father, Wallace Donley, preceded her in death in 2007. Services, followed by food and fellowship, are planned for Saturday, March 7, 4 p.m., at the First Baptist Church, 18550 Redwood Road, in Castro Valley, 510.582.0515. The family requests donations in memory of Leigh Donley be sent either to the Women's Cancer Resource Center, 5741 Telegraph Ave., Oakland, CA 94609, 510.601.4040, ext. 101 www. wcrc.org; or to the California Breast Cancer Research Program, University of California Office of the President, 300 Lakeside Dr., 6th Flr, Oakland, CA 94612-3550 888.313.2277 www.CABreastCancer.org/

To plant trees in memory, please visit the Sympathy Store.

Published by San Francisco Chronicle from Mar. 1 to Mar. 6, 2009.

Memories and Condolences
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5 Entries

debra moore

March 10, 2009

hello leigh- i may not have seen you since high school, but i have always considered you still to be my friend- one that i would eventually see again. we will see each other again just not where i'd hoped...my deepest condolences to your family. i have great memories of you- you were always laughing.

Jennifer

March 3, 2009

I want to express my sympathy for the pain you are experiencing now. It's been 16 years since my mother passed away from cancer and still there is a void that cannot be filled. The one thing that gives me comfort is God's promise to bring back our loved ones to life here on earth and to put an end to suffering. John 5:28, 29 and Revelation 21:4. How we long to hold them again!!

Yvette Pleasent

March 3, 2009

We are so going to miss her in Technical Services!
She was so easy going, always willing to help & or just share a smile.
I am so very sorry for your loss & will keep you & your family in my prayers.

Leigh's Husband, Greg Fite

Greg Fite

March 1, 2009

I am her loving husband, Greg, and I want to thank our community, Leigh's family and our friends everywhere for their compassion and kind, helpful deeds during this painful time of loss. Leigh was my soulmate and life companion of almost 34 years. She shaped my life into one truly worth living, and she gave me three beautiful children who will carry on her memory and build on the wonderful upbringing she bestowed on them.

Please help carry on the fight against breast cancer. Donate generously to the two organizations listed in Leigh's obituary. Every day she lived, for two-and-a-half years after her diagnosis, was a blessing to our family, community and friends. Every woman should be given the best medical help available, and we need to continue expanding the medical frontier until some day, this terrible scourge will end.

Greg Fite

March 1, 2009

You're my Special One forever, and I miss you more than words can say. Bunny Greg

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