Vanya Leighton
Vanya Marie Leighton
29 Oct 1935 - 01 Sep 2021
Clubs & Associations
Biography
Known as the "Hat Lady" for her trademark chapeaux, Vanya has called in Guam, British Columbia, Oregon, Washington, Utah, Nevada, Arizona, New Mexico, Oklahoma, Missouri, Florida, Illinois, Wisconsin, Colorado, Tennessee, Kansas, Minnesota, Michigan, South Dakota, Maryland, Kentucky, and, of course, California. She is currently Vice President of the Square Dance Callers Association of Northern California and has been an active member of Callerlab for the past seven years. A graduate of Bill Peter's Callers College in 1974, she has called for ten of the last twelve National Square Dance Conventions.[1]
Quick Facts
- on the IAGSDC convention calling staff at
Obituary
Vanya Marie Leighton passed away gently in her sleep on the morning of September 1, 2021. She had an inspiring, fulfilling life as a mother, grandmother, great grandmother, helper electrician at Mare Island, National Square Dance Caller and Rebekah Lodge organizer.
She was born on October 29, 1935, in Minneapolis, MN to William and Leila Olson. She was strong! During her childhood she survived whooping cough, measles, mumps, scarlet fever, and chicken pox, then came down with tuberculosis at age 11. She made it through all of them and in 1953 graduated from Richmond Union High School.
Vanya married twice. She and her first husband, Richard Bredahl, had two girls. With her second husband, Fred Leighton, they had two boys. She and Fred were married for over 48 years.
She accomplished many things in her life. She raised four loving children, worked as a Clerk Typist for the Navy, became one of the first women helper electricians at Mare Island, and one of the first women to be a nationally recognized square dance caller from 1986 to 2006.
Her favorite activities included being a member of the Rebekah Lodge. In May of 2011 she was installed as an appointed Officer of the State Rebekah Assembly as well as a District Deputy President. And she and Fred were active members of the Pearl Harbor Survivors Society, participating in many patriotic events to celebrate the lives of those we lost and those who survived. Plus, each year since 1992 she has attended the annual USS Navarro Ship Reunion, visiting, and enjoying the sights in cities across the United States. She and Fred were excellent square dancers. Vanya learned to call square dances while the family was living on Guam (1967-1973), then expanded her skills calling square dances at the state and national level until 2006.
She will be dearly missed by her four children; daughter: Anna Marie Bredahl, daughter: Maralee Rene Schulze, son: Mark Allen and his wife Jan Leighton, son: Robert John and his wife Alicia Leighton. Grandchildren: Michele Lukey and her partner Shane Hennesey, Wayne and his wife Sandra Lukey, Rebekah Lukey, David Schulze, Austin Schulze, Ryan Christopher Leighton, Thomas William Raney, Breanna Luna Scarborough. She was also blessed with eight great-grandchildren: Bruna Benzrihem, Noah Hamilton, Ashley Lucena, Samaya Sunshine Hennesey, Rowan Michael Lukey, Araya Sunshine Kofoed, Chloe Sunshine Lukey, Presea-Luar Sequoya Scarborough.
The family wishes to thank Collabria Hospice and The Meadows for their compassion and care during this time. Mom always told us that deciding to move to The Meadows was the best decision she ever made.
Due to the COVID pandemic the family will not be organizing an in-person memorial service at this time. If you would like to honor Vanya’s life, rather than sending flowers, the family requests that you donate to one of these charities: Ivy Rebekah Lodge at The Meadows, 1800 Atrium Parkway, Napa, CA 94559; or Napa Methodist Church, 625 Randolph St, Napa, CA, 94558.[2]
Memorial Panel
Photos
1986
Dangle
Obituary photo
Sources
- ↑ IAGSDC Convention Program (San Francisco), 1986
- ↑ The Neptune Society of Northern California [website https://obituaries.neptune-society.com/obituaries/fairfield-ca/vanya-leighton-10335126] : accessed 25 Feb 2023
