Leita St.Clair LePori

While attending school in nearby Gonzales, Leita was active in band, where she played timpani, performed as a baton twirler and led the marching band as drum major. After graduating from Gonzales High School in 1956, Leita attended Baylor University, where she majored in music. Thanks to an introduction several years earlier by her cousin Sam Turk, Leita was united in holy matrimony to Firmin LePori on January 19, 1957.

On their honeymoon, the newlyweds moved to Fort Lee, Virginia, where Firmin was stationed in the United States Army. While there, Leita attended the College of William and Mary in Williamsburg to continue her musical pursuits at one of the nation’s top-ranked music schools. Among her many accomplishments, Leita performed at the dedication of the school’s Ewell Hall.

The couple returned to Gonzales in late-1957. They welcomed son David in 1958, followed by Kenneth in 1959 and Elizabeth in 1961. Leita created a beautiful home on their sprawling ranch and continued to share her musical gifts as a private piano and voice teacher, substitute music teacher at North Avenue Elementary, a leader in Music Study Club and officer in Mother’s Study Club. Additionally, Leita was active in civic and non-profit organizations, and also served as a pianist and organist at First Baptist Church.

In late-1978, career opportunities took the LePori family to Houston. Her creative talents flourished as an interior designer at Brittains Fine Furniture and later as an A.S.I.D.-accredited interior designer and owner of Leita LePori Interiors, where she designed interiors for homes, medical offices and business enterprises. Career opportunities later took Firmin and Leita to Bay City and Rockport before they retired in Victoria, where she was active in The Decora Study Club and the Victoria Symphony League, among others. And importantly, she and Firmin created family memories at their nearby Hillside Ranch and barndominium.

Leita was preceded in death by her parents Jimmie and Chester St.Clair; her brothers and their spouses “Bo” St.Clair and Clarinell Hahn, Bryant and Corine St.Clair, and Finley and Ruthie St.Clair; nephews David, Mike and Craig St.Clair; great-nephew Cole St.Clair; in-laws Lela and Judge LePori; and nephew-in-law Steven Groll.

Leita is survived by her loving husband of 66 years, Firmin LePori; children David LePori and his wife Lori, Kenneth LePori and his wife Shellie, and Elizabeth LePori Fordham and her husband Scott; grandchildren Lauren LePori Meals and her husband Tyler, Cathren LePori Saunders and her husband Will, Jacquelyn LePori Tomlinson and her husband Austin, Morgan LePori Williams and her husband Taylor, Cameron LePori, Madeline Fordham and Michael Fordham; great-grandchildren Charlotte, Caroline and Abigail Meals, and Wilson, Charleigh Anne and Shepherd Saunders; nephews C.J. St.Clair and his wife Betty, and Carl St.Clair and his wife Susan; and niece Joan St.Clair Groll.

The family also acknowledges her loving caregivers Monica Garcia, Barbara Sanchez, Flora Rucker, Eloisa Mendoza and Janie Cantu, as well as Shelby, Natalie, Traci, Chelsea and Linda at Hospice of South Texas.