Leila May Thurlkill
Leila May Thurlkill, 86, long time resident of Fall City, passed away peacefully on Sunday, August 7, 2011 at Riverside Health Care Center in Missoula, Montana, of natural causes. That morning she went through her normal routine. She got up, dressed, went for breakfast, and fell asleep for a nap. Only this time she didn’t wake up. Leila was born on February 12, 1925, in Indiahoma, Oklahoma to Ray and Ferol Powell. She was raised in Oklahoma and Kansas, lived through the Great Depression and the Dust Bowl years, and World War II. She met a dashing WWII pilot and on September 8, 1943 she married Roy C. Thurlkill in Denver, Colorado. The couple lived in El Dorado and Danville, Arkansas before moving to Southern California in 1954 where they raised four children, Thomas, Keith, Kathy and Michael. They moved to Fall City, Washington in 1969. Leila worked as an accountant and bookkeeper and, of course, as a mother. She was always very involved in her church and enjoyed sewing, reading and gardening. The family always had fresh vegetables from the garden, fruit from the trees, eggs, and sometimes meat from the animals. She and Roy were founding members of the Issaquaws and Braves Square Dance Club. Among the highlights of her life were several vacations to Alaska and many trips around the country to visit friends and family. She loved to spend time with her grandchildren. Leila was preceded by her husband, Roy C. Thurlkill in 2005 and survived by her children and their families: Thomas and Leah Thurlkill of Commerce City, Colorado; Keith Thurlkill and Karen Ward of Missoula, Montana; Kathleen and John Eagle of Arcadia, Florida; and Michael and Ivonne Thurlkill of Issaquah, Washington; 7 grandchildren: (Robert, Steve, David, Stuart, Stephanie, Nathan and Lisette) and 7 great-grandchildren (Dave, Amanda, Kaitlin, Sidney, Cameron, Lucille and Caleb). A Memorial Service was held August 27 at the Fall City United Methodist Church. Leila was buried with Roy at Tahoma National Cemetery in Maple Valley.
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