LEAH FRANCES MORRIS DIFFEE

LEAH FRANCES MORRIS DIFFEE, a resident of Memphis, former resident of Fayette County and wife of the late William Leon Diffee died at 12:37 A.M. Tuesday, March 17, 2009 at the St. Francis Hospital in Memphis where she had been a patient for ten days. She was 86 years of age and died following a nine-month illness.

Funeral services for Mrs. Diffee were conducted at 1 P.M. Friday, March 20th at Memorial Park Chapel in Memphis with Rev. Keith Wright, Associate Pastor of the Colonial Park United Methodist Church in Memphis, officiating. Interment followed in the Memory Hill Gardens Cemetery of Bartlett. Arrangements were provided by Peebles Fayette County Funeral Homes-Main Chapel of Somerville.

Mrs. Diffee was born April 14, 1922 in Fayette County. She was preceded in death by her parents, Wiley Elbert Morris and Lillie Price Morris, early residents of the Williston Community. She was educated in the Fayette County Public School System and was a graduate of the Fayette County High School in Somerville, Class of 1940.

Mrs. Diffee was married January 19, 1942 to William Leon Diffee of Fayette County, a longtime employee of the Anderson-Tulley Lumber Company in Memphis and World War II Army Veteran. Mr. Diffee died January 8, 1996.

Mr. and Mrs. Diffee were longtime residents of Shelby and Fayette County and resided for five years in Vicksburg, Mississipi, during Mr. Diffee's employment with Anderson-Tulley.

Mrs. Diffee was a lifelong Methodist and was a member for many years of the Grimes Memorial United Methodist Church in Memphis. She was a homemaker throughout her life and was also employed as a Merchandise Manager for the W. T. Grant Company in Memphis before her retirement.

She and her husband were avid campers and were members of the Good Sam's Camping organization, enjoying traveling throughout the United States. She was a devoted wife and mother and quilting was a favorite pastime.

Survivors of Mrs. Diffee include five daughters: Martha Vopel (Bill) of Memphis; Lillie Facelli (Tony) of Collierville; Dot Beatty and Connie Diffee, both of Memphis and Cindy Cole (David) of Southaven, MS; eight grandchildren: Terri Raley, Bill Vopel, III, Tracy Facelli, Robert Facelli, Jr., Michelle Clothier, Jenny Harris, Ashley Cole and Natalie Cole; ten great-grandchildren and five great-great-grandchildren.

She was preceded in death by three sisters: Myrtice Gavigan, Charlene Sparkman and Sarah Gaugh and one brother, John Morris.

Those honored to serve as casket bearers were Ed Gaugh, Johnny Morris, James Morris, Tommy Sparkman, Jerry Diffee and Dennis Diffee.

The family request that Memorials be directed to the St. Jude Children's Research Hospital, 501 St. Jude Place, Memphis, TN 38105-1942, Phone: 1-800-805-5856.