Annabelle Avila Leiby

Annabelle Avila Leiby was nicknamed, “Toughy Avila” early in childhood. She was the youngest daughter of George Machado Avila and Ethel Pettit (Avila) Anderson, both deceased. There were two other children; Ethelrose (Avila)Minahan, her oldest sister, and Gerald Milton Avila.

She was born on her Grandfather’s ranch in Crows Landing, California. Eventually, the family moved to Patterson, California, where she completed elementary school through high school. She attended San Jose Junior College prior to her brother’s death, and eventually transferred to Modesto Business College, where she completed a Business Degree.

She worked as a Cost Accountant for the Army Corps of Engineers at Camp Mc Quaide, Watsonville, California. There she met Ralph Benton Leiby, and they married on February 3, 1945. After Ralph’s military commitment, they returned to his hometown of Akron, Ohio. Later they moved to San Jose, California, and resided in the area until 1963. They eventually moved to the Rogue Valley, and they operated a retail dairy business for years, as well as ranched in the area.

There are four children from their marriage: Ralph Jr. (Amelia) of Salida, California, Patricia Phillips (Charles) of Eugene, Oregon, Mark Luther of Prospect, Oregon, and Pamela Rae of Gold Hill, Oregon. Annabelle is survived by nine grandchildren and fifteen great grandchildren.