LEEPER, JEAN CAROL Jean Moody Kelly Leeper passed away on March 12, 2011, after a 16 year battle with breast cancer. Jean was 62 years old and lived with her family in Chula Vista, California. Jean was born in Yuma, Arizona on September 19, 1948 to Barron and Elizabeth Moody. She grew up with her sister Joyce (Chummy) surrounded by a large extended family in the Yuma agricultural area. Her family moved to Bonita, CA while Jean was in high school. Jean graduated from University of Denver (Women's College), and spent her junior year studying in Vienna, Austria. She received her MBA from University of Redlands and studied at Cambridge University, England through their study abroad program. Jean began her career at the aerospace company Rohr Industries in Contracts and later worked in Systems and Customer Support. She enjoyed assignments overseas at their Scotland and France facilities. After leaving Rohr, she was the Senior Operations Manager at Qualcomm, Inc. with responsibilities in Canada and Australia. She then worked at Raytheon as a Program Manager for the Amphibious Transport Dock ship (LPD 20). Jean was working at Northrop Grumman as a Program Manager when her cancer returned for the third time in January 2009. She continued to work until June of 2010. Jean was married to Michael Kelly and had a son, Sean. In 1979 she married Roy Leeper and had a son Quinn and to her delight also was the step mom of Timothy and Tommy. Jean considered her family to be her greatest joy. As a mother of four boys, Jean was a great cook and had a wonderful sense of humor. Throughout her life, Jean enjoyed being outdoors and was an active hiker and backpacker with her family in the Sierras. The family road trips were her favorites. After the kids grew up, Jean and Roy enjoyed traveling extensively in Mexico. She also enjoyed watching birds, bike riding, and going to aquariums. An avid gardener, she raised vegetables and liked the challenge of growing new varieties like her "purple haze" carrots. In lieu of flowers, the family requests donations to the following charities: The Hole in the Wall Gang Fund (children's cancer), The Nature Conservancy, or The Smile Train (children's cleft palate).

Published in San Diego Union-Tribune on March 16, 2011