Teresa Elaine Leavell, age 63, the eldest of four children to William D. Leavell, Sr. and Rose M.
Leavell-White, was born August 6, 1956 in Jeffersonville, Indiana. After battling cancer for over
13 years, she transitioned from this life to eternal life on Sunday, April 19, 2020.
She graduated from Louisville Central High School in 1974 and received a scholarship to further
her education where she attended Hampton University, located in Hampton, VA. to pursue a
Business degree. She received a job offer at CBS, located in Los Angeles, CA, turned down the
offer and decided to work in her hometown for Celanese Piping System, Inc. (later named Nibco,
Inc.) for 21 years. After the company moved to another state, she worked for The Salvation
Army and later the Boys and Girls Club of America, and Neighborhood House. She was a
member and volunteered as the church Secretary for St. Stephen’s Baptist Church and later
served at In Jesus Name Church.
Throughout the years, she sung with the Louisville Gospel Choral Union, a choir comprised of
many family members. An avid reader, she enjoyed dancing, watching movies, crossword
puzzles, and sewing. In recent years, she found joy in altering clothes as well as making blankets
and scarves whereby she started, K’s Collections.
She was preceded in death by her father, William D. Leavell, Sr. brothers – William “Billy”
Leavell, Jr. and Vincent C. Leavell, and daughter, Kaiko “Kay” Taylor. She
leaves cherishing the memory of the life she led: grandson, Jaylen T. Johnson; greatgranddaughter, Amillion K. Johnson; mother, Rose M. Leavell-White; sister, Angel V. Leavell Newsom (Tony); brother, Keith Richardson; close companion of 17 years, Darrell Jagoe; and a host of uncles, aunts, nieces, nephews, cousins, and friends.