Leah L. Switzer

Leah L. Switzer, 95, a resident of McGraw House, Ithaca, NY and widow of Vernon "Jack" Switzer, Jr., died Monday, March 29, 2021 at the Cayuga Medical Center in Ithaca.

Leah was born Leah Louise Tobey on January 28, 1926 in Horseheads, NY, to parents Marion (McCracken) and Tracy Tobey. She graduated from Newfield High School in 1944 and married Vernon (“Jack”) Switzer, Jr. the love of her life, on March 30, 1946 in Newfield, NY. Leah was a dedicated homemaker, wife, mother, grandmother and great-grandmother, aunt, and volunteer. She was also a breast cancer survivor and a good friend to many who will miss her vibrancy and joy of life. She was a member of the Order of the Eastern Stars, the Telephone Pioneers, and the Newfield Methodist Church.

She was predeceased by her husband, Jack Switzer, and sisters Gladys Wilcox of Erie, PA, and Marie Lacy of Edina, MN (Richard). Her memory will be cherished and kept alive by her six children Connie VanGorden (Dave) of Geneva, NY; Jack Switzer (Judy) of Currie, NC; Linda Rogers (Gary) of Lyme, CT; Susan Herr (Fred) of Windham, NH; Joanne Rankin (Dave) of Liverpool, NY; and Kimberly Santoro (Mark) of New Fairfield, CT; her grandchildren Jeffrey VanGorden (Cristie), Medusa, NY; Christopher VanGorden (Joanne), Macedon, NY; Kelly Dauber (Christopher), Bloomsburg, PA; Joel Switzer (Ellice), Ithaca, NY; Jennifer McClain (Clay), Rapid City, SD; Nicole (“Nikki”) Sapienza (Stephen), East Granby, CT; Greg Herr, Salem, NH; Adrienne Cameron, Derry, NH; Leah Ouderkirk (Adam), Marshfield, MA; Lisa Seigers (Adam), Boonville, NY; Katelyn Affinito (Michael), Clay, NY; Kristin Rankin, Liverpool, NY; Stephanie, Allie, and John Santoro, New Fairfield, CT; and her great-grandchildren Sarah Rieker (Christopher), Catskill, NY and their daughter Olivia; David, Jack, and Stephen VanGorden, Medusa, NY; Madeline and Luke VanGorden, Macedon, NY; Cael and Ty Dauber, Bloomsburg, PA; Jack and Eleni Switzer, Ithaca, NY; Jameson and Marley McClain, Rapid City, SD; Lucas and Caiden Sapienza, East Granby, CT; Ryan and Lauren Herr, Salem, NH; Stella, Nathan and Nora Cameron, Derry, NH; Jackson, Grace and Presley Ouderkirk, Marshfield, MA; and Molly and Miles Seigers, Boonville, NY. Leah is also survived by her brother, Gene Tobey (Marion) of Lansing, NY, and sisters Mary Ellen Heslop of Rome, NY and Nancy Wasmund (Ken) of Birmingham, Alabama, and several nieces and nephews who loved their Aunt Leah.

Leah and Jack’s first home was in Newfield, NY where they started their family while Jack pursued his career with the New York Telephone Company and Leah became a full-time homemaker. Jack’s job kept the family on the go throughout upstate NY as his career grew, moving the family first from Newfield to Geneva, then to Vestal and finally to Auburn before his passing on April 6, 1978 at age 52. While living in Auburn, Leah volunteered at a local nursing home, and enjoyed dancing with Jack with the “Cayuga Cut-ups” square dancing club and dinners with the Gourmet Club. She especially loved the annual road trips to Clearwater, Florida with Jack and her family.

Following the loss of her husband, Leah moved back to her roots in Ithaca and reconnected with many old friends in Newfield, and reunited with the Newfield Methodist Church. She joined the Newfield Senior Citizens’ Club and became their travel coordinator, and joined the local Snowmobile Club even though she had never been on a snowmobile in her life! Leah was a proud member of the “Gorges Gals”, the local Ithaca chapter of the Red Hat Society; and she danced with the “Happy Tappers” tap dancing club. She also became an avid golfer, playing with a league every week during the season, and joined a weekly bowling league. Her bowling team was called the “Alley Cats” and whenever Leah’s team made a strike, the Alley Cats let out a loud “MEOW” for all to hear.

Leah moved to McGraw House in downtown Ithaca in 2014, and she considered all who lived there part of her family. Leah was well loved at McGraw House, and she participated in many if not all of the social activities offered there. Her friends at McGraw House loved her vitality, easy-going nature and good sense of humor, and never complained about her loud polka music. She enjoyed the dish-to-pass dinners (and a glass of wine) and the bake sales, and always made something delicious to share. She gathered with friends to play scrabble, bingo and 99 (card game), volunteered to be a driver for other residents, and maintained a rooftop garden during the summer months. Leah started each day at McGraw House with her coffee and the crossword puzzle in the Ithaca Journal.

Always on the go, Leah loved to reminisce about her early days in Newfield, and regularly attended the Methodist Church there. She never refused a dish-to-pass event and always brought some homemade delicacy to share in her picnic basket. She enjoyed visiting the local falls with family members, and loved listening to polka music in the park with the Newfield Seniors.

Leah’s proudest achievement, however, was her role as mother to six grateful and fortunate kids. Even with so many children, grandchildren and great-grandchildren, Leah made each one feel special, whether it was a loving note written in a birthday or a wedding anniversary card (which she never forgot), a beautifully decorated wedding cake or a handmade quilt, or a home-cooked meal along with a homemade desert sitting on the kitchen counter ready to be served. As the matriarch of the Switzer family, Leah had an overwhelming sense of pride for her family and always welcomed newcomers into the family with warmth and a conversation. She would beam with joy when her entire brood and extended family were able to get together for holidays, weddings, or family gatherings.

Leah was a straight shooter who was able to stop people in their tracks with laughter at her one-liners and good old-fashioned sayings. She had a sense of get up and go that anyone would admire and she lived life to the fullest, often times being the oldest person to take part in activities and charitable causes which didn’t go unnoticed by those around her. She provided a great sense of comfort and stability as the foundation of her family, who will try to lead their lives as joy-filled as hers in dedication to her memory.

The family wants to thank the team at 4 ^th Floor South at Cayuga Medical Center for the wonderful care and compassion they exhibited during Leah’s short stay there, and also wants to express profound gratitude to Dr. Naila Mirza, head of Palliative Care at Cayuga Medical, for her professionalism regarding Leah’s care, and the compassion and guidance shown to family members who were able to be at Leah’s bedside on her final journey in life.

The family is planning a private celebration of Leah's life with her burial to be held at the Woodlawn Cemetery, Newfield, NY. If you wish to make a donation in memory of Leah, please consider the following charities: Newfield United Methodist Church, P.O. Box 143., Newfield, NY 14867, Cayuga Medical Center Foundation (Comfort Care), 101 Dates Dr., Ithaca, NY 14850 (“in memory of Leah Switzer” on memo line) or the Breast Cancer Research Foundation, 28 W. 44th St., Ste. 609, NY, NY 10036; or to a charity of your choice.