Leslie Grace Gauthier Albea
January 19, 1952 – November 27, 2022
Wendell – Leslie Gauthier Albea, 70, died on Sunday. She was born in Montgomery County, PA to the late William Howard & Betty Grain Gauthier. She was an accountant who worked at several places during her career and retired from ASAP Renovations and Repairs. Leslie loved animals and was like Dr. Dolittle. She had names for all her squirrels. Leslie will be remembered as a loving wife, wonderful sister, and a warm person to all who knew her.
She is survived by her husband, Joe Allen, Jr. of the home, siblings William Howard Gauthier, Jr., Vicki Squire (James) of Newtown Square, PA, & Lynn Bumgarner (J. C.) of Weaverville, NC.
In lieu of flowers, memorials are requested to St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital or the ASPCA.
A memorial service will be held at a later date.
Arrangements are with Strickland Funeral Home & Crematory, 211 W. Third St., Wendell, NC, 27591.
My sister, my best friend…
Leslie was remarkable for the love and kindness she gave to all people and animals (she called them “critters”) in her life. She also was the embodiment of southern charm. She never passed a person without asking them how they were doing. She connected easily with people in every sphere of her life. She always thought of others ahead of herself.
We were like spirits in that we both loved and appreciated nature. In our early years our home was located near a large expanse of woods complete with a creek. She wanted me to tag along with her as she hunted snakes and crayfish. I loved those times in the woods but always hoped that we would not be able to find snakes She brought home a litter of opossums that had been abandoned and she nursed them until they were ready to return to the woods. She could bravely capture poisonous snakes, but a tiny spider sent her looking for a perch to escape the creature.
She loved to fish and rejoiced when she and Joe found their dream home on a large pond. In her years on the pond, she was dedicated in her care of the critters there. She fed the squirrels, turtles, stray cats and a pair of ducks that returned to the pond every spring. She had names for them all. The ducks were Fred and Ethel. If a bird flew into the window she would bring it inside, wrap it in a towel and stroke it until it was ready to fly away. She requested that the song, “Free Bird” be played at her memorial service that will be planned for the spring.
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