Barbara Marie Lesa

Barbara Marie Lesa, nee Collado, a small-town girl with a big heart.

It is with deep sadness and much love that we mourn the passing of Barbara Marie Lesa of Whittier, CA on September 28, 2024, at the age of 81.

Barbara hails from the quaint town of Canajoharie, in upstate New York, a beautiful, lush region in Montgomery County with slate waterfalls and creeks, bordered by the Mohawk River and Erie Canal and homebase of the famed Beech-Nut Baby Food and Life Savers candy factory. She attended Canajoharie High at a time when JFK was running for election. Those who knew Barbara would be surprised to hear she cut class to attend his speech at the Canajoharie Hotel. Barbara went on to receive her AA degree in Childhood Development at SUNY Cobleskill College and taught for a brief period. Little did she know her life would change in a big way. She met Leon Paul Lesa in 1965 while he was serving in the U.S. Air Force and a love story began that would last 58 years.

They married on April 23, 1966, at Saint Peter and Paul’s Catholic Church in her hometown and honeymooned for a year a two-story brick building in the Canajoharie Village. Although Leon was earning $1.65 per hour, they purchased a new gold Pontiac for $3,100 and fearlessly cruised out to sunny California, where Leon’s family (also from upstate, NY) had settled. Whittier would be better for having her loving presence.

Barbara, a stylish and loving woman, and Leon a hardworking and dedicated man, raised three children, Anthony Joseph (Tony) Lesa, Krista Marie Lesa and Kamey Louise Lesa on a quiet cul-de-sac lined with pink Crepe Myrtle trees. She took on the challenge of learning all she could to Mother Tony through his bout with juvenile (type I) diabetes, took on the role of Teacher’s Aide at Lydia Lackson School when Krista was in 4th grade and showed little interest in schooling, and cheered Kamey on from the sidelines at Whittier High football games while she was in drill team. 

Barbara went on to work as a part-time Teacher’s Aide at West Whittier School and is remembered by many for her caring and patient method of teaching. In 1993, her love of service took her into a new role at CAPC, Inc, where her compassion, empathy and love shone brightly each day as she coached individuals with disabilities to live better lives and was often seen driving them in her white Ford Explorer or walking around town together. She simultaneously maintained a role in Whittier’s disabilities program. At the request of her family, she retired after surviving a stroke in 2015.

When Relay for Life first came to Whittier, Barbara was immediately engaged and took on the role of Team Captain for CAPC. Under her watch a member of the team walked the track at all times for 24 consecutive hours, or she would take to the field and fill in without hesitation. Her passion and enthusiasm beamed outward, and she was awarded the “Spirit of the Relay” trophy at the closing ceremony. This was particularly meaningful as she had survived breast cancer and knew the struggle others face each day. She didn’t feel the award belonged to her as it was a team effort, and bestowed it upon CAPC, leaving it at the office for all to appreciate.

Barbara was also a proud member of the SOLA Lions, an organization whose mission is to support sports and training programs for persons with intellectual disabilities and held the position of Sunshine Girl, reporting welfare updates to the club. Leon, an active 30-year member of the Whittier Host Lions Club, was blessed to have her alongside him, supporting his dedicated community service and participating in setting up, assisting during, and tearing down their events.

Barbara was an adventurer travelling with her beloved husband to honeymoon in Montreal Canada. Through the years they visited Niagara Falls (NY/CAN), New York, Tennessee, Louisianna, Arizona, Nevada, Missouri, Florida, and many of the Northeast coastal states, and found beauty in all of nature. Their 58 years of marriage is a love story of commitment, family, service, and gratitude.

Barbara doted on her grandchildren and great-grandchildren, nieces and nephews and neighborhood children. She regularly drove to San Diego to visit Kamey, her husband Ruben and their children and had profound love for each of them rarely missing a birthday or achievement celebration and never a Thanksgiving, Easter, or Christmas. It was her rooted love for them that propelled her to press Leon to sit in gridlock traffic every holiday.

Tragically, Tony passed unexpectedly in 2020, and his loving wife Susie transitioned from daughter-in-law to daughter, and she compassionately cared for Barbara who struggled to cope with the unimaginable loss.

Krista married Gil Rodriguez, also a member of the Whittier Host Lions Club, and moved to Whittier the same year to be closer to Barbara and Leon and provided a stabilizing presence and loving family foundation as her health began to decline.

Barbara enjoyed attending Catholic mass each Sunday, antiquing, a hot cup of water or tea, gardening and spending time in her kitchen making dinner from scratch, Italian cookies, and blueberry buckle. She played bunko weekly with the gals, 21 and gin rummy and could shuffle a deck as good as any cardsharp. 

Barabara’s heart brimmed over with love of family, love of people, love of community and love of animals. She was often referred to as an Angel on Earth and it is with deepest grief that we say good-bye-for-now and release her to heaven where her beautiful gossamer wings will fly her to new heights, and we will one day be joined again.

Those who will cherish her memory include her husband Leon; her children Krista Lesa and husband Gil Rodriguez, Kamey and husband Ruben Carrillo; her grandchildren, Klarissa, Katarina, Keianna & Kash; her great grandchildren, Kirra, Miles, James & Lyla; and her daughter (in-law) Susie and her children and many other beloved family and friends across the country that she loved dearly. She is predeceased by her son Tony, sister Patricia, mother, and father (Angel Collado and Florence (Tiberio)).