Leslie Ross

1959 - 2024

Leslie Ross
04/21/1959 - 03/26/2024
With great sadness, we share the passing of Leslie Karen Ross on March 26, 2024, at the age of 64. This obituary is based on a self-reflection that Leslie wrote in 2023.
Leslie is so very grateful and blessed to have friends in her life who shared their love and support throughout her life.
Leslie had the good fortune of kismet in finding the true love of her life, Desiree Owens. It was an all-encompassing love that continued to provide sustenance, comfort, and strength throughout her life, even following Desi's death.
Personal relationships were always most important to Leslie, even in her work life as a Clinical Neuropsychologist and researcher. Leslie was thankful to have worked alongside many wonderful colleagues who added purpose and meaning to her professional career.
Another love was Leslie's pups Lolita, Dexter and Strudel. She loved them dearly, and greatly enjoyed their company. Leslie is thankful for the friendships and community at the local Willard Park where she spent many an early evening enjoying the conversations, wonderfully bad jokes, and the playfulness of the dogs.
Photography also gave her pleasure, and with this in mind, Leslie is grateful for the Bay Area Nikon User Group which the local photography store, the excellent Looking Glass, began and then supported.
Leslie is predeceased by her soulmate and spouse, Desiree Owens, and her parents Harriet and Harold Ross. Leslie is survived by her beloved four-legged companions Lolita, Dexter, and Strudel.
Practice kindness all day to everybody and you will realize you're already in heaven now.
– Jack Kerouac
A memorial gathering for friends and colleagues will be announced at a later date.
Leslie requests that memorials be sent to elder care organizations, such as Alzheimer's Services of the East Bay (aseb.org) and California Advocates for Nursing Home Reform (canhr.org); civil rights organizations; organizations supporting equality for gay, lesbian, bisexual and transgender, questioning and intersexed individuals; organizations supporting judicial and prison reform, such as Civil Rights Corp (https://civilrightscorps.org) and The Innocence Project (https://innocenceproject.org); and animal rights and rescue organizations, such as the Milo Foundation (milofoundation.org).