Jennie Leatherbery

In Memoriam:

Jennie Cline Leatherbery

November 27, 1919 - February 7, 2023

Jennie Cline Leatherbery, of late, River Oaks and Graham, TX, and longtime resident of Battle Creek, MI died peacefully at home on February 7, 2023 surrounded by family and friends. She was 103 years old. Jennie was born on November 27, 1919 at home in the farming community of Sherwood, MI. She was the third born to Glen and Inez Cline, behind Helen and Harold. The family had a dairy farm supplying milk to the commercial dairies of southern Michigan.

Jennie met her future husband Wendall Leatherbery at a friend's birthday party when they were both 12 years old. Jennie attended Sherwood High School, as did Wendall, and was an excellent student. She was captain of the girl's basketball team. Wendall was captain of the boys basketball and baseball teams. They began dating while in school and eventually married on October 12, 1940.

Jennie moved to Battle Creek when Wendall volunteered to serve in the Army in WWII. Having taken several business courses after high school, Jennie began working as a secretary at the Battle Creek Sanitarium. After the war, Jennie and Wendall settled down in a house on North Washington Street and subsequently built a house on Laurel Drive in Battle Creek. Seven children later, (six girls, one boy) the family moved in 1966 to Decatur, GA. Jennie and the family joined the Belvedere United Methodist Church where she sang in the choir on Sunday mornings for decades. She worked for the Internal Revenue Service in Atlanta, GA for years before retiring in the 1980's. A large part of Jennie's later life was spent volunteering at the Decatur Methodist Children's Home that housed and cared for at-risk children.

Also in her later years, Jennie got to travel, visiting Alaska on several occasions visiting her oldest daughter Sue, and experienced a Caribbean cruise with Wendall for their 50th wedding anniversary. After 59 years of marriage, Wendall died in 2001. Jennie sold the family home in Decatur and lived independently in Avondale Estates, joining the Decatur United Methodist Church and embracing an ever widening group of dear friends. In 2017, Jennie sold her condominium and moved to Texas, living with her granddaughter Bonnie in McKinney, TX for a short time and then with her youngest daughter Linda in River Oaks, TX, before her recent move with family to Graham, TX in December, 2022.

Jennie was preceded in death by her parents Glen and Inez Cline of Sherwood, MI, her sister Helen Relyea of Springfield, MI, her brother Harold Cline of Sherwood, MI, her husband Wendall Leatherbery of Decatur, GA, her daughter Wendy Leatherbery of Decatur, GA, her daughter Sally Mills of Loveland, CO, her grandson Travis Gaites of Flowery Branch, GA, and her grandson Jason Mills, of Miranda, CA. She is survived by her daughter Sue Leatherbery of Anchorage, AK, her son Scott Leatherbery of Pittsburgh, PA, her daughter Debby Jacob of Montgomery, AL, her daughter Mary Miller of Cummings, GA, and her daughter Linda Sadler of Graham, TX; seven grandchildren and eleven great-grandchildren.

Per her request, no funeral services will be conducted. Internment is to take place Wednesday, February 15th at Dawn Memorial Park in Decatur, GA, attended by family.