Delores Jean Leffler

Delores Jean Leffler (nee Smeltz) passed away on October 8, 2025, just short of her 95th birthday. Delores (known as “Doe” or “Dee”) was born on October 24, 1930, in Sharon. When she was just eleven years old her mother died and thereafter, she and her four younger siblings were moved to St. Paul’s Orphans Home in Greenville where each remained until they graduated from Penn High.

While residing at St. Paul’s, Delores, a winsome blue-eyed red head, fell in love with a local farm boy named Jacob Leffler. They married the day before her 20th birthday in 1950. She was that farm boy’s tireless supporter and loving companion for 71 years until Jacob’s death in 2021. Together they raised two children, as well as countless dogs, cats, chickens, goats, pigs, Holstein milk cows and Murray-Gray beef cattle. Within twenty years of starting their farming adventure, they were honored with the Dairy of Distinction Award by Pennsylvania Dairymen’s Association. They farmed together until their age and health kept them from continuing.

She was the best mother (of two), grandmother (of five) and great grandmother (of eleven) that any child could ever dream of. She never met a stranger, often spontaneously hugging people she did not know (she said simply “they looked like they needed a hug”). She was as loquacious as her husband was taciturn, but together they made a wonderfully complementary pair who profoundly influenced the lives of their school and church friends, family members, Sunday school students, employees, co-workers, neighbors and strangers. Delores loved to garden, bake, sew, play the piano and listen to anyone who needed a sympathetic ear. Simply put, she was loved by all who knew her.

She is survived by her daughter, Susan Willaman (Terry) of Cochranton, her son Rod (Julie) of Waynesville, North Carolina, five grandchildren (Stephanie Leffler, Jennifer Leffler, Carrie Dunn, Ben Willaman and Pat Willaman) and eleven great grandchildren.

Services:

Delores was interred next to Jacob in Rocky Glen Cemetery. In place of the square dance she had been planning for her 95th birthday, her family will host a Celebration of Life Service at 1:00 PM on Saturday, 10/18/25, in the Anderson Fellowship Hall at the Heritage in St. Paul’s, 339 E. Jamestown Rd. Greenville. Family and friends are invited for visitation, food, and fellowship on Saturday from 2:00 – 4:00 PM also in the Anderson Fellowship Hall. Before she passed, Delores wished that anyone who may be inclined to send her flowers, would instead contribute to St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital 501 St. Jude Place Memphis, TN 38105.

Online visitors are welcome to sign the guest book and view a Video Tribute at www.loutzenhiserfuneralhome.com.

Arrangements have been entrusted to LOUTZENHISER-JORDAN FUNERAL HOME AND CREMATION SERVICES, INC. 366-368 S. Main St. Greenville.