Ethel Louise (Mcintosh) Leaphart

Born Ethel McIntosh, June 22, 1928, in Rockford, Alabama, she was the daughter of the late Marion and Gussie McIntosh. After her parent’s death, Ethel, who was four at the time and two of her brothers, Jay and Dan, moved to Cheraw, South Carolina where they were raised by their Uncle Willie and Aunt Henrietta Johnson. As a young adult, Ethel followed her older brother Jay to Michigan and found work in a factory and did other odd jobs to support herself. After her brother’s military service during World War II, Ethel settled in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. There, she met and married Linwood Conway. That marriage lasted until 1959. At that point in her life, Ethel was content with being a single woman and working towards fulfilling her dream of real estate ownership. That would all change ten years later when an old friend Robert Leaphart, who had recently lost his wife, asked her to help him raise his four children. Ethel was reluctant, but remembered a promise she had made to God during an illness; “Lord, if I am cured, I will help some motherless child!” On December 3, 1969, she married Robert and became the mother of Jeffrey, Karen, Linda and Marcia Leaphart. Ethel always said that she didn’t know what she was doing, not having any children of her own, but trusted in God for guidance. She also said that the children’s birth mother Carlota was right there beside her. In addition to raising the children, Ethel also helped Robert in his business. Ethel’s marriage to Robert ended in 1988, but they continued to be friends and partners in raising the children. For the past 46 years, Ethel loved, taught and nurtured her children. Always a woman of faith, Ethel raised her children in the church, first at Traveler's Rest Baptist Church and later at New Faith Baptist Church of Christ. She was known as “Mommy” and later “Mom” to her children and then “Meemo” to her grandchildren. Ethel passed away peacefully November 1, 2015, at the age of 87. Ethel was preceded in death by her husband, Robert Leaphart, and ten sisters and brothers. She is survived by her children, Jeffrey (Heather) Leaphart, Karen Leaphart, Linda Leaphart and Marcia Leaphart; grandchildren, Tori Leaphart, Ayana Leaphart, and Olivia Leaphart; and many family and friends.