Rachel "Boozy" Briggs Leonard Tuttle

Concord, NC- On Sunday May 24, 2015 the gates of Heaven opened and God took our mother, nana and a dear friend to many, Rachel "Boozy" Briggs Leonard Tuttle, to her eternal home. Her passing was peaceful and in the comfort of her home with family and friends by her side. Rachel was born on November 3, 1930 to Bruce Briggs and Elsie Smith Briggs in Southmont, NC. She was preceded in death by her parents and siblings, Joe Briggs, Sr., Hollis Briggs Trexler and Jimmy Briggs. She enjoyed a rich full life, spending the majority in Lexington where she retired from the Lexington Telephone Company after 30 years of service. She was an active member at Second United Church of Christ. She was a member of the Pilot Club and after retiring, she set out on a new adventure to Southport, NC and worked for Bald Head Island for nearly 20 years. She then moved back to Lexington until 2013 when she moved to Concord to spend her remaining time with her daughter. A memorial service to celebrate her life will be held at 12:00 PM Saturday, May 30, 2015, at Whitley’s Funeral Home Main Chapel, Kannapolis officiated by Rev. Mike Hubbard. The family will receive friends from 11 a.m. to 12 p.m. Saturday at the funeral home prior to the service. The family would also like to invite all family and friends who attend to share a luncheon with them after the service at the funeral home Annex Event Center. She is survived by her son, Ira Meggs Leonard, III (Jan) of Athens, Ga.,her daughter, Sydney May, of Concord. Her four grandchildren, Michelle Carter (Chris), Brian Thomason (Melissa), Wendy Orrell (Brian) and Matt Leonard (Toni), and her 10 grandchildren, Ashton, Anna, Kingsley, Welles, Chad, Calab, Cadence, Hannah, Tristan and Braydon. Rachel's gardening, bird watching and reading gave her many hours of enjoyment. She also loved to travel and enjoyed meeting new friends. The family would like to extend their deepest appreciation to Hospice for their never ending love, support and care...Kim, Cheryl, Kathleen, Rev. Joanna and LaFondia. And for the Angels here on Earth, Diana Johnson, Annie Wilenski, Gwen Beattie and Linda Lee, who loved and cared for her as she was their own mother. As a dear friend said of her, Rachel was a friend that came along once in a lifetime. She will be sincerely missed by all but we will once again be united with her in God's Kingdom. In lieu of flowers memorials may be made to the Down’s Syndrome Association, Welles’ Angels Buddy Walk Team, P.O. Box 34787, Charlotte, NC 28234 or Hospice & Palliative Care of Cabarrus County, 5003 Hospice Lane, Kannapolis, NC 28081. On-line condolences may be left at www.whitleysfuneralhome.com, Kannapolis, NC.