Theresa Lida Leblanc

Theresa Lida "Terri" LeBlanc (Manns), age 72, of Beavercreek, passed away January 8, 2024, at Soin Medical Center. Terri was born in Dayton, Ohio on March 28, 1951, to the late Raymond and Kathleen Manns.

Terri was preceded in death by her parents; brother, Kenneth Manns; niece Tamora "Tame" Warren; and special friend Michael Hawkins.

She is survived by her devoted husband of 51 years, Kenneth LeBlanc; son, Adrian (Christy) LeBlanc; brother, Carl Manns; sister, Shelley (Lew) Hayes; grandchildren, Mallory LeBlanc, and Andrew LeBlanc; nieces Jane Lindsey, Kelsey Hayes, and Carlee Hayes; nephew Isaac Lindsey; great-niece Katrissa Warren; and special friend Jane Evans (Marcum).

Terri attended Mad River Local Schools and was a 1969 graduate of Stebbins High School. She met her husband in sophomore year when his friend wanted to sit near one of her friends at lunch. She was the enthusiastic heart and soul of her class and extremely loyal to the school, being the only female student to serve as its pep representative. During her high school years, Terri helped take care of an elderly woman in the neighborhood after school. After graduating, she attended Wright State University for one year.

Terri worked in a variety of places in various fields during her life. She started out in the fabric department in Goldman's Department Store and transitioned into the medical field as a nursing aide at Miami Valley Hospital. She also was a working artist, selling a few oil paintings and sketches. It was during this stage Terri and Ken became closer. They attended a Jackson Five concert, held hands during the song "I'll Be There" by the Jackson Five, and never let go of each other until her passing. Terri and Ken married on December 16, 1972.

After her marriage, Terri worked as a unit clerk at Jewish Hospital in Cincinnati. Upon her husband's graduation, they moved back to Dayton and she worked again at Miami Valley Hospital. In 1974, Terri attended an interior decorating class at Greene Vocational School, where she met Thelma Gilbert, owner of Gilbert's Upholstering in Fairborn. After an apprenticeship under Ms. Gilbert, Terri formed her own business, "Custom Upholstering by Terri," and operated it out of her home for approximately twenty years. During this period, she met and teamed up with Myra Lewis, a prominent interior decorator in the Dayton area. Between her solo work and that in tandem with Ms. Lewis, Terri's handiwork was found in homes throughout the Dayton area, ranging from mansions to public housing units. Terri's skills were also applied to automobiles and vans, including antique cars, and working with the owner of a Corvair to replace its convertible top. During the 1980s, Terri took her son and mother in her van, along with her upholstery tools, to friends in Key West and Phoenix where she upholstered their furniture and babysat their kids.

Terri was always the #1 fan of her son. During the years he attended Parkwood Elementary School, she volunteered at the clinic and worked at its Pumpkin Festival. In 1985, Terri began driving a school bus for Beavercreek City Schools until her health problems prevented her from meeting the physical requirement of jumping out the back of the bus. She had a good rapport with the kids and once received a note written by a sixth grader that stated "Terry, though she may not hear this, reminds me of Jesus every day. She always puts up with the kids on her bus, and no matter what, is always nice and forgiving. Thanks!" Terri also served as president of the Beavercreek High School Football Parents Club one year. She was also a ardent fan of Michigan Wolverine Football.

In 1991, Terri returned to the medical field as a certified home health aide with Fidelity Home Health, then on to Nurses Calling in 1993 as their receptionist and visit coordinator. In 1996, Terri worked as an outreach specialist with Dayton Area Health Plan, and then was one of the first twenty-five employees Pam Morris recruited to start CareSource. There she worked in case management, specializing in emergency room diversion and arranging transportation for clients' medical appointments. Many of her evaluations noted her excellent communication skills with clients and her willingness to make an extra effort to help them. In 2012, she transitioned to working at home due to health issues and retired in 2019. Terri and her family also operated the Cold Spot Drive Thru from 2008 to 2021.

Terri filled her family's life with love and art. She had a tradition of flying a kite on every birthday, often taking kids in the family along. Halloween and Christmas were her favorite holidays to decorate her home and the drive thru. She won a number of costume contests with her Elvis and Statue of Liberty outfits. She also painted murals on a few of the walls in her house. Terri won a radio contest at WTUE-FM in 1978 and enjoyed an hour as a guest DJ playing her favorite songs.

Terri was deeply devoted to her family and friends, attending to her parents' needs after the tragic death of her brother and during the last stages of their lives. She was also appointed as guardian over the children of friends who had concurrent military deployments overseas.
One of her closest nursing friends described her like this: Terri never looked down at you, she never looked up at you, she always looked you straight into your eyes.

Rest in Eternal Peace, Terri. Your good work on Earth is now done and your physical pain is gone.

A Celebration of Life will be held from 2:00pm-5:00pm at C.I. Beaver Hall (3696 Highmont St., Beavercreek OH 45432) on Sunday, April 28, 2024.

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