Leigh Cattran

1963 - 2017

Leigh Cattran

Leigh Cattran, artist, daughter, sister, friend, lost her struggle with cholangio carcinoma on October 9, 2017, and is now at peace. Born in Toledo on August 1, 1963, Leigh grew up in the South End. A high point of her teen years was her experience as a peer group leader with the Episcopal Diocese of Ohio, where she grew in wisdom and strength. Having attended college in California and Massachusetts, Leigh returned to Ohio and earned her BA at BGSU. After a year in Florence, Italy at Studio Art College International, she brought home a post baccalaureate diploma, of which she was very proud. In 2003 Leigh completed her education at the School of the Museum of Fine Arts, Boston, earning a Master of Fine Arts degree.

A love of travel resulted in her crossing the US by car several times, spending two weeks in Poland for a wedding, and taking a trip to Puerto Rico with her father. Regrettably, her last planned trip, which would have made a third year visiting ArtPrize in Grand Rapids, wasn't possible because she was too ill.

One of Leigh's proudest accomplishments was her blog, "Every Day is SUN-Day." She set a goal to "Create something, anything, every day for a year to change my life." When she began on January 2 of 2013, she had no idea how cancer would change her life, but every day that year Leigh posted a sun, created in many different mediums, and never missed.

An assortment of jobs, including driving a limo and tending bar, helped support her artistic creations. Leigh worked in a variety of mediums, including photography, videography, painting and printmaking and she showed and sold pieces at many art fairs. Leigh and her beloved black Lab, Casey, could frequently be seen walking downtown, where she photographed Toledo's unique architectural elements for inclusion in collages.

Always willing to lend a hand and blessed with a talent for organization inherited from her maternal grandmother, Leigh began a small business of helping clients organize their "stuff" and cleaning their homes. She had a quick and quirky sense of humor, and her wonderful laugh, mentioned by so many in messages of condolence, will forever echo in our hearts.

Leigh loved watching films, classics like "Casablanca" as well as the newest ones, and often quoted favorite familiar lines. Artist that she was, Leigh valued her sight above all the senses and donated her corneas to help another see the beauty in the world. Her body also went to UTMC with her hope that it might help in some way to find a cure for cancer.

Although it should not happen this way, Leigh is survived by her parents, Judith Nagy Cattran (Richard Martinez) of Toledo, and Lawrence Cattran of Bradenton, FL. Also left to mourn are her stepmother, Cindy Byrne (Rod); and brother, Michael Cattran (Cindy Hart); aunt, Diane Ake (Rick); cousin and life-long best friend, Kim Steinbock (Keith); cousin, Mike Nagy (Kelly); and five cherished nieces and nephews. She touched many other lives in ways she seldom knew. Leigh was predeceased by her grandparents, Sam and Eleanor Nagy; uncle and aunt, Eric and Kerry Nagy; and cousin, Daniel Peter Nagy.

The family is grateful to the many doctors and nurses who treated Leigh over the past four years, especially the surgeon who gave her so much time, Dr. Kerri Simo, and Hospice of Northwest Ohio who provided comfort and freedom from pain at the end. Her memorial service will be held at noon on Saturday, October 28, at Salem Lutheran Church, 1125 N. Huron St. in Toledo, with prior visitation there 10:30 a.m.

The sweetness, sunshine and laughter that were Leigh Cattran have left us, but all who knew her are better for it. Those wishing to make a donation in Leigh's name are welcome to contribute to Salem Lutheran Church or to the Cholangiocarcinoma Foundation, which is working toward a cure for bile duct cancer, as well as providing help for patients and caregivers.



View the online memorial for Leigh Cattran