It is with great sadness that we announce the passing of LLL Leader Mrs. Leith Kassier after a short illness on 1st December 2023 at the age of 76.
Leith’s LLL story began in Bristol in 1975 when, as a first-time mother she was helped by the local group through this difficult time. Leith’s rapacious appetite for knowledge led her to read extensively and she was asked to give a talk at a conference in Market Harborough before being asked to be a Leader herself.
After moving to Sherborne with the birth of her second child she started a new group for LLL and after forming the Cape Town LLL group while returning to South Africa for 2 years she settled in Saltash, Cornwall in 1982 where with mothering and two teaching jobs she took a hiatus for the league.
After the birth of her first grandchild in 2008 she returned to active involvement, starting the East Cornwall group and getting involved in a group in Plymouth, where she pushed the fundraising efforts further with the successful application for National Lottery Funding multiple times and setting up of Easyfundraising donations, she also oversaw the transition to Zoom meetings during lockdown.
Leith loved children more than anything and was passionate about starting families off on a good footing through her work with the league.
Outside of LLL Leith was a well-known piano and music teacher since the early 70s, giving young people an appreciation of music and guiding numerous pianists through to an advanced level. She also worked for royal mall where she became a union rep in support of a pregnant colleague.
Born to an English family in South Africa, Leith was a passionate traveller and eternal student. She travelled through Europe, America, Africa and New Zealand while continuing her studies of music, art, theatre, history and geology.
Even while her illness took hold she ceaselessly tried to help people on whatsapp groups and arrange zoom calls even from her hospital bed.
Leith passed away peacefully in Derriford Hospital, Plymouth and will be lovingly remembered by her husband of 50 years Hans, her sons Rafael and Sebastian, her daughter-in-law Meike and her two grandchildren Nina and Max.
submitted by Nicola Wilson