Doris Bleakley

Obituary of Doris Bleakley Doris McLeod Bleakley passed away March 16, 2011 in Leesburg surrounded by her family. She was born in Camden, S.C. to Sheriff John Henry McLeod and Sheriff Maggie Kelly McLeod on August 17, 1923, the youngest of six siblings. She is survived by her beloved husband Robert(Bob), sons Robert, Jr. and McLeod, daughter Sarah Margaret, four grandsons, a granddaughter and a great-granddaughter. She was predeceased by another grandson, Will Bleakley. Doris graduated from Camden High School where she was on the tennis team and the basketball team, and served as captain of the state girls basketball team, where she was a "hot shot." She attended Winthrop College and the University of South Carolina. Doris & Bob were married on June 7, 1945. She lived in Palatka during the 1950s and 60s for 12 years where she was chair of the Daughters of the King at St. Mark's Episcopal Church. She had lived in Leesburg for 41 years. While raising her kids, she became an avid golfer, won several club championship at the Palatka Golf & Country Club and was champion 13 times at Silver Lake Golf & Country Club. She served as President of the Women's Golf Association at both clubs. Her golf career included seven holes in one! Doris volunteered as the girls' golf coach at Leesburg High School. She was also a seamstress and a gardener, growing more than 25 rose bushes of the "Hybrid Tea" variety. "Miss Doris" will be remembered by many Lake Countians as a tap dancer and instructor at Katherine Knight's School of Dance for 15 years. She enjoyed traveling with her buddies and family and held summer camp annually for her grandkids when they were young. She became accomplished at Nintendo video games, challenging her grandchildren to beat her. She loved going to Crescent Beach in the summer and cooking fried chicken and biscuits on Sundays. She was also a photographer and bird fancier. In her middle age, she had volunteered at Mayfield's Retirement Center, where she subsequently spent the last few months of her life as a resident. Her friends talk of her graciousness more than anything else. Services A gathering of family and friends will be held at Beyers Funeral Home on Saturday, March 19 from 4-6PM with a time for sharing at 6:00 PM.