Moira (White) Leith

Moira (White) Leith passed away on November, 20th, in Stoughton, Massachusetts at the age of 62 after a long illness. Moira was born in Attleboro, the youngest child of Alvin and Violet White.

Were Moira here today, she would state that her children were her greatest accomplishment. She shared her love of cooking, music, and movies with them, passed on storied treasures from her various collections, taught them a desire for adventure and knowledge, but above all else, she taught them how to be kind and how to love.

As a child, she explored Cape Cod with her father, hunting for rocks and old coins to add to her collection and learning about wildlife. Her companion was Mittens, her childhood cat, who inspired her love of felines. She graduated from Sandwich High School and earned a Bachelor's degree in geography from Salem State College.

Moira traveled with her parents to Italy, England, and Scotland. She said that Italy inspired her love of cooking, but England inspired her love of punk music! A die-hard fan of Iggy Pop in particular she would break out in song and sing the most outrageous lyrics.

Moira embraced Salem as her new home. She was an employee of Belmont Springs Water Company until the birth of her first child, Sarah. In 1995, Moira left Salem and moved to Ann Arbor, Michigan, where her son, Adam, was born. The family then returned to Salem in 1998. She remained in Salem until her diagnosis left her unable to live on her own. During her final years, Moira resided in a long-term care facility in Stoughton.

Moira is survived by her sister, Nancy White; daughter Sarah Margaret Leith; son Adam Alexander Leith; their father, Toby Leith; and niece, Elizabeth Cameron Williams. Services will be private. Donations in Moira's name may be made to the Alzheimer's Foundation of America, 322 8th Avenue, 7th Floor, New York, NY, 10001.

The family wishes to state that Alzheimer's is not a natural progression of aging. Somewhere out there is the first survivor of Alzheimer's and we ask that you help us spread awareness as you share your favorite memories of Moira. Inspire others to join the fight against Alzheimer's. Please, think of your loved ones, and in the spirit of wishing they all live the best possible lives, help us find a cure.