Leanna Updike

1945 - 2022

Leanna Updike, 77-year-old Soldotna resident, passed away Wednesday, November 9, 2022 after battling cancer for years. Leanna was born March 9, 1945, in Mt. Pleasant, MI. She graduated from Weidman High School in Weidman, MI in 1963. She raised four children in Rosebush, MI with her husband, Larry before moving to Kenai, AK in 1993, along with her adult children. She moved to Nikiski a year later and finally to Soldotna in 2019. Leanna enjoyed quilting, gardening, wine, antiques, British TV and musicals. Her best-loved moments were spent with her family four-wheeling, camping, boating, and gathering in the kitchen. While she enjoyed cooking, she relished a glass of wine while her sons were cooking even more. She collected teapots, chickens and fabric. Leanna transferred her love of Christmas, Christmas decorating, movies, baking and non-traditional celebrating to her children and grandchildren through the annual unboxing of snow globes, Santas, and tinsel. Every November's ritual of peanut butter ball making and distribution has been picked up by her granddaughter, Emma. Her playfulness and joy in the holidays came through with holiday meals featuring everything from egg rolls to sub sandwiches, celebrating early Christmas, late Christmas and multi-month Christmas. Leanna is remembered by friends and family for her joy, her love and her humor. She was able to see and give what we each needed emotionally with grace and intelligence that will forever set a standard for those fortunate enough to belong in her world. Among her favorite phrases, usually directed at Dad, was "Damn your eyes." She was prone to using Google as a final arbiter of any argument. She was known to deftly retell the same family stories in new and improved versions to keep them spicy. Never one to depend upon an expected response to expressions of affection, she once hand-fed a kitten that she named Norman, who eventually turned on her, repeatedly stalking and biting her ankles. She was always ready to laugh and shared hers often with anyone with sense enough to join in. Her sister Donna expresses what we all feel when she writes, "She would tell me to 'put my big girl panties on, but I don't want to. I want to sit and drink coffee with her, listen to her laugh, and be loud with her. I want to hear the ping on my phone at 4 in the morning texting, 'are you awake' and then spend the next two hours talking. I want to just hold her hand, not saying anything at all but know what the other one was feeling, I want--her. Leanna was preceded in death by her parents, Edward and June Garrett and sister, Linda McDaniel. She is loved and remembered by her husband, Larry Updike of Soldotna, AK; brothers and sister, Larry, David, Donna, and Doug Garrett, of Michigan; son, Bryan Updike of Kenai, AK; daughter, Kristin Card, of Portage, MI; sons, Josh Updike of Soldotna, AK and Jesse Updike of Kenai, AK; grandchildren, Thea, Carey, Dani, Cy, Garrett, Emma, and Riley; several nieces, nephews, and friends. In November, Leanna's disease progressed more rapidly than anyone anticipated. She wanted to see her daughter, Kristin and extended family one last time. God swept her into his arms & held her close before that was possible - by the grace of God we go forth. Memorial donations may be given in remembrance of her to the Ronald McDonald House or the Autism Society of America. Arrangements by Peninsula Memorial Chapel of Kenai, AK.