James Franklin Leeper
(1906-1989)
Mary Lenore Gray
(1908-1987)
Glenda Faye Leeper
(1933-2020)

 

Family Links

Spouses/Children:
1. George Risser Biecher Jr.

Glenda Faye Leeper 1 3 4 5 6

  • Born: 19 Aug 1933, Mifflintown, Juniata, PA 1 2 4 7
  • Marriage (1): George Risser Biecher Jr. on 5 Mar 1955 in Mifflintown, Juniata, PA 1 2
  • Died: 3 Nov 2020, Warrenton, Fauquier, VA at age 87 2

   Other names for Glenda were Meme Leeper 2 and Penny Leeper.2

   FamilySearch ID: LVCM-FJG.

  Noted events in her life were:

1. Census in 1940 in Fermanagh Twp., Juniata, PA. 4 The 1940 census recorded on Township Road 525: James F. Leeper, bleacher in paper mill, 33, living with wife Mary L., 31; Shirley L, 9; Glenda F., 7, brother-in-law Russell H. Cisney, laborer in stone quarry, 28, and sister-in-law Isabelle F. Cisney, 25. Everyone was born in Pennsylvania.

2. She was educated at Shippensburg State Teachers College in 1955 in Shippensburg, Cumberland, PA. 2 8

3. Alvin and Glenda obtained a marriage license on 5 Mar 1955 in Mifflintown, Juniata, PA. 1 name: George Risser Jr. Biecher
event: Marriage
event date: 05 Mar 1955
event place: Mifflintown, Juniata Pennsylvania, United States
age: 22
estimated birth year: 1933
father: George Risser Sr. Biecher
mother: Grace Minnie Burkholder Biecher
spouse: Glenda Faye Leeper
spouse's titles & terms:
spouse's age: 21
spouse's estimated birth year: 1934
spouse's father: James Franklin Leeper
spouse's mother: Mary Lenore Gray Leeper
spouse's mother's titles & terms:
reference number: 353
film number: 323920
digital folder number: 004455264
image number: 00211.

4. Newspaper: News-Chronicle: "The three new elementary teachers will be: Mrs. Glenda Biecher, first grade at Burd Street; Mrs. Lois Shank Bock, second grade at Newburg-Hopewell, and J. Lee Hockersmith, fifth grade at Orrstown.", 30 Aug 1955, Shippensburg, Cumberland, PA. 9

5. Residence: on 2 Aug 1980 in Carlisle, Cumberland, PA. 10

6. Residence: on 26 Nov 1987 in Carlisle, Cumberland, PA. 11

7. Residence: on 30 Aug 1989 in Carlisle, Cumberland, PA. 5

8. Residence: in 1993 in Warrenton, Fauquier, VA. 7

9. Residence: in 1998 in Warrenton, Fauquier, VA. 12

10. Residence: on 15 Oct 2011 in Warrenton, Fauquier, VA. 6

11. Obituary: Carlisle Sentinel: obituary of Glenda Leeper Biecher on 21 Jan 2021 in Carlisle, Cumberland, PA. 2 13 Glenda Leeper Biecher
August 19, 1933 \endash November 3, 2020

Glenda Leeper Biecher of Warrenton, VA. died peacefully of natural causes as her son held her hand and her full-time caregiver and daughter in-law was by her side at Fauquier Hospital on November 3, 2020. Glenda was 87 years old when God called her home.

She is survived by her daughter and son, Mari Barnhart of Dillsburg, PA and James Biecher of Warrenton, VA; two granddaughters Stephanie Slater of Noblesville, IN and Christina Ayers of Zionsville, IN; 2 great-granddaughters; older sister Shirley Adams and many extended family and friends. She was preceded in death by her parents James and Mary Leeper; by her beloved husband of 43 years George; and by her younger sister Dana Geesaman.

Born on August 19, 1933 in Mifflintown, PA, she grew up on a dairy farm where she loved to ride her father's work horses, her horse and a gentle dairy cow that she was not supposed to ride. She graduated from a one-room schoolhouse, was then accepted to State Teachers College in Shippensburg, PA now Shippensburg University of Pennsylvania, and graduated with a Bachelor of Science degree. While in college she dated George, they fell deeply in love and they married on March 5, 1955.

Glenda was a devoted wife and mother. Also known as Penny from childhood, nicknamed by her parents because she was as small as a penny when she was born. She decided to start teaching at Hamilton Elementary School in Carlisle, PA as a first-grade teacher. She was an innovative teacher and was loved by her first-graders and their parents. Often parents would ask for Glenda to be their child's teacher. This was the case especially if Glenda had taught an older sibling of the child.

Glenda started a program to "read to the elderly". She would march her class a couple of blocks to an elderly care home where each child would read a book to one of the residents. This program was one of the first of its kind and was immensely enjoyed by the residents of the home. The program gained notoriety and Glenda along with her students was recognized on the local TV news while reading to the residents.

Glenda's other nickname, Meme, was given to her by her first granddaughter Stephanie when she was 2 years old. Stephanie and her sister Christina loved spending time with their grandparents. Meme cherished being a grandmother. She would take her granddaughters for long walks daily and read them books. At bedtime Meme, Pappy and both granddaughters would climb into bed and Meme would say prayers with the granddaughters and then she would say, "time to get on the sleepy train" and off they would go to sleep.

Glenda's husband George had an accident early in their marriage which caused George to become disabled. Glenda needed help with George so the family decided to have them move in together with their son, his wife and granddaughters in Warrenton VA. Glenda was the primary caregiver of George and she took wonderful care of him until the very end of his life.

Glenda was a devout member of Warrenton Church of Christ. Known as Miss Penny by the members, she started a card ministry where she would send cards to the sick, for birthdays or to any member that needed uplifting. She also was known as the Prayer Warrior. This is because everyday she would get up at 6am and read the Bible and pray for everyone on her long list. She felt honored to be able to go to our Lord for people in need. Miss Penny will be deeply missed by her church family.

Glenda memorial service will be at the Warrenton Church of Christ. Date and time to will be this spring and be announced on the Church website http://warrentonchurchofchrist.org

To plant trees in memory, please visit our Sympathy Store.


Glenda married George Risser Biecher Jr., son of George Risser Biecher Sr. and Grace Minnie Burkholder, on 5 Mar 1955 in Mifflintown, Juniata, PA.1 2 (George Risser Biecher Jr. was born on 6 Aug 1932 in Hershey, Dauphin, PA 14 15 and died on 18 Jul 1998 in Warrenton, Fauquier, VA 14 15.)


Sources


1 FamilySearch.org, Pennsylvania, County Marriages, 1885 - 1950, https://familysearch.org/pal:/MM9.1.1/VFS6-NDL George Risser Jr. Biecher and Glenda Faye Leeper, 1955.

2 The Sentinel (Carlisle, PA) (www.cumberlink.com), 17 Jan 2021, obituary of Glenda Leeper Biecher.

3 ObitsForLife.com, Obituary of Dana Elizabeth Leeper Geesaman http://www.obitsforlife.com/obituary/414469/Geesaman-Dana.php.

4 1940 United States Census, https://familysearch.org/pal:/MM9.1.1/KQQY-R6P James F Leeper, Fermanagh Township, Juniata, Pennsylvania, United States; citing enumeration district (ED) 34-4, sheet 15A, family 280.

5 The Patriot-News (Harrisburg, Pennsylvania) (Harrisburg, Dauphin, Pennsylvania.), 31 Aug 1989, page B2. Obituary of James F. Leeper.

6 The Patriot-News (Harrisburg, Pennsylvania) (Harrisburg, Dauphin, Pennsylvania.), 19 Oct 2011, page A-9. Obituary of Dana E. Geesaman.

7 FamilySearch.org, United States Public Records, 1970-2009, https://familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:KR45-7D1 Glenda L Biecher, Residence, Warrenton, Virginia.

8 Ancestry.com, U.S., School Yearbooks, 1880-2012, PA > Shippensburg > Shippensburg State Teachers College > 1955 Glenda Faye Leeper.

9 Shippensburg News-Chronicle (Shippensburg, Cumberland, Pennsylvania.), 30 Aug 1955, page 5.

10 The Sentinel (Carlisle, PA) (www.cumberlink.com), 21 Aug 1980, page 9. Porter - Biecher Marriage.

11 The Patriot-News (Harrisburg, Pennsylvania) (Harrisburg, Dauphin, Pennsylvania.), 28 November 1987, page A-6. Obituary of Mary G. Leeper.

12 Carlisle Daily Sentinel (Carlisle, Cumberland County, Pennsylvania), http://cumberlink.com/article_6574f8e6-b1d1-5f0c-8b11-7eb162a6cd0d.html Obituary of George Biecher.

13 "Fauquier Times (Warrenton, VA)," 21 Jan 2021, obituary of Glenda Leeper Biecher.

14 U.S. Social Security Death Index.

15 Ancestry.com, U.S., Social Security Applications and Claims Index, 1936-2007 (Original data: Social Security Applications and Claims, 1936-2007.), George Risser Biecher Jr., SSN 159248608.



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