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Current Memories
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From:
Laine McNeil
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Tuesday, August 31, 2021
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Thinking back over the years, I have so many memories of Leah. Playing tennis with her and Roger, watching movies at the house in Belgrade, listening to music selections, either at the house or in the car.
Every time I drive up the Boulder road, I think back over travels where Leah drove us when I didn't yet have a license. I had great confidence in her driving, and we enjoyed traveling together, most of the time.
I think it is a sad, what she experienced for so long - but I find I don't focus on that. I see instead the memories that pop up so often, I think of the lessons Roger shared with me that he learned in the years of caring for her, and I feel grateful that I had the time with her that I did.
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From:
Roger Hammersmark
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Friday, February 5, 2021
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Packing in to Fish Lake with Leah and the boys. Leah wasn't always that fond of tent camping, so I bought her a very thick Thermarest that took up a lot of room on the horse. She then let her boys have it to sleep on and she slept on a horse blanket. Woke up in the morning to see them laying on the ground anyway. We laughed about that then and later. We all had a good week riding and camping. Last time we got to go.
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From:
Laine McNeil
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Wednesday, December 16, 2020
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Just after high school, Leah though to connect better with Dad (Steve). She drove her car down to Arizona and took a job at his construction company. The primary position they put her in was operator of a compactor for the road they were building around Roosevelt Lake. One day things got out of kilter, and the compactor was just kind of hopping sideways on the road. Maybe the ground was already compacted there, or something - but it wasn't acting normally. The machine went off the side of the road, and in her attempt to jump clear as it happened, Leah was hit firmly on the hip by a part of the machine. She didn't get rolled over, but was hurting something fierce. It wasn't long before she bought me a plane ticket, and I flew down to Arizona to come home with her, college starting soon. She gave me a haircut, sitting outside the trailer they were living in, and then the next day we drove home. We went through Sedona to see it (though it was out of the way). As we were leaving a restaurant there, the car (a manual) wouldn't start. We gave it a push-start, and drove it the entire distance home to Big Timber without shutting it off the entire way. One stop for speeding on highway 89 (Leah), and otherwise only gas stops - until I killed it by popping the clutch wrong (at about 6 am, we drove non-stop) at N. 7th and Main in Bozeman. Another push-start (in reverse) and we made it home. All we needed to do was clean the battery terminals! She was always very aware of where she was at – in 1987 on that drive home I thought she was asleep, and when I slowed to turn off of 89N onto I-15N, she jerked awake and wanted to know why I’d turned! I just finished driving this about 2 days ago, and it felt like Leah was traveling along with me in my head, at Sedona, in the Grand Canyon, driving through Utah.
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From:
Roger Hammersmark
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Wednesday, December 9, 2020
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Remembering going to dance lessons at the MSU SOB Barn with Leah. We learned the Schottische. Fancy steps for jitterbug and two-step, had a lot of fun dancing around Bozeman.
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From:
Laine McNeil
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Sunday, November 22, 2020
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So many to sort through, it's like Roger said, what makes one stand out when they all seem so significant, poignant? When I started college, and Leah and Roger were living in Belgrade, I spent quite a lot of time with them - sharing dinner (Leah liked a certain pizza company's offering), or playing tennis, or sometimes watching movies. Once, just listening to the first part of a song to see how quickly someone could identify it by name. The times in their apartment were really fun / special to me. From the at-times-difficult relationship we had when we were much younger, a powerful bond felt like it had formed between us - I treasured it.
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From:
Roger Hammersmark
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Wednesday, November 18, 2020
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From Mark Silverstein: At Roger's branding the year after Leah got sick. At the house after the branding, trying to keep the conversation light, I gave Leah a hard time about not having donuts available that morning. With a twinkle in her eye, she told me what I could do with my donuts....just as I expected.
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From:
Roger Hammersmark
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Wednesday, November 18, 2020
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From Mark Silverstein: A vivid recollection of Leah and her brother dancing at the Stockgrowers Banquet the year before she got sick. Their vitality and energy wore you out just watching them.
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From:
Wendell Gibby
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Monday, November 16, 2020
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I worked with Roger for several years , Leah with us a lot of the time. She worked as hard as anyone. I remember telling Roger once that I admired three women in my life, my mother, my wife, and Leah. She was devoted to her family and would tell you how she felt even if you didn’t want to hear it. She was as true of a friend that you could find. I didn’t have a sister but if I had she would be like Leah. I will miss her dearly .
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From:
Marcia McNeil
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Saturday, November 14, 2020
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The words to Garth Brook's song (written by Tony Arata) could describe feelings in most any relationship. The "dance" I shared with Leah was worth any amount of pain at the end.
Would I have changed the ending? Sure, but I would never have wanted to miss "the dance." Her love, her humor, her caring made my small world the best place for me. Love you always, Leah. Mom
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From:
Roger Hammersmark
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Tuesday, November 10, 2020
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I have so many good memories with Leah that it is hard to pick them out separately. I think my way is to not be shy about talking and laughing about the ones I have lost, and don't be shy about talking about her to me. I was thinking about things that exemplify my wife and this one comes up. When we moved back to my family's ranch, we still had the sheep and were lambing. She was always up and helping, and me being used to the norm, said "Why don't you go fix some lunch for the crew". I am sure she gave me "The Look" and said "Why don't you go fix some lunch for the crew?". Came to understand quickly that she would rather be out working and helping, and that she was also the best side-kick I could have doing so. (I got "The Look" frequently, knew before I got it that I was going to get "The Look", told her even when she was gone I would still know I was getting "The Look", and now I'm going to miss "The Look".)
P.S.- Leah became a good cook and did so frequently. The kitchen just wasn't her favorite place. She loved lambing, calving, and working cows, especially with friends.
Roger
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From:
Laine McNeil
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Monday, November 9, 2020
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Leah loved to O-mok-see (the name comes from the Blackfeet Indian horse-riding games). Her small pony Elmer was sure-footed, fast and agile. Together, they excelled at pole-bending, flag-pole and barrel racing with the smaller horses. She often came home from the events having taken the day for numerous events. Her mother Marcia loved O-mok-see as well - it was there that she met Mike Clark at one point. Laine - another story. I was a couple of years younger, and not so sure about the horses. At one point Elmer SHOOK, and I fell off. Leah and mom laughed at me...
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Laine McNeil
11/9/2020 at 2:32 AM
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Candle Lit By
Laine McNeil
Monday, November 9, 2020 at 2:32 AM
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Leah, I know you loved scented candles, and often had them burning around the home. I hope that the light and smoke from this one will help carry you "home". Love, always.
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Never Gone
11/9/2020 at 1:48 AM
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