Debra S. Leitch died on September 24, 2019 at her home in Londonderry, NH after a long, determined battle with numerous medical complications due to fibromyalgia. She was born on May 31, 1954 in Andover, MA. She graduated from North Andover High School and attended Mass College of Art in Boston. On May 31, 1976, she married Peter Leitch. Together, they raised three children, Meghan, Geoffrey, and Amanda, of whom she was very proud and supportive.
Debi grew up showing Saddlebred horses around New England, traveling to Kentucky in the summer to train with the noted saddleseat expert Helen Crabtree, and was an accomplished rider and trainer. She later started her own riding program at a barn in Londonderry, coaching numerous young riders, including her daughters, who carry on her legacy of horsemanship. She worked in sales at Jordan Marsh and for Calvin Klein. Her engaging personality and love of stories helped her excel in that career, and she passed these traits to her son. When her kids were in school, she was a teacher’s assistant in the Londonderry schools for several years and was active in the PTA. She was also a talented artist and loved drawing, painting, and crafting, as well as coloring with her children and grandchildren. She was a great animal lover, had numerous pets of all species, and supported many organizations devoted to animals and wildlife. She was a voracious reader and collected jewelry and gemstones. Even through her long illness, she was always full of life and did everything she could to support her family, encouraging their interests and education.
Debi is preceded in death by her father, C. Lincoln Giles, and mother, Janice Giles. She is survived by her husband, Peter; her children, Meg Fox, Geoff Leitch, and Amanda Burris, and their spouses; her brother, Rick Giles, her sister, Jannie Giles and their families; her grandchildren, Maddy, Jackson, and Caleb; and numerous in-laws, nieces, and nephews.
A calling hour will be held on Saturday, October 5, 2019 from 9:30am to 10:30am in the Peabody Funeral Homes & Crematorium, 290 Mammoth Rd., Londonderry. Funeral services will follow at 10:30 am. In lieu of flowers, the family would like donations to be made in Debi’s name to Canine Commitment of New England, 733 Bedford Road, New Boston, NH 03070, http://caninecommit.org/donate , or Saddlebred Rescue, 6 Meadow Cliff Lane, Hardwick, NJ 07825 https://www.saddlebredrescue.com/donate.htmle