Leigh A. Marsh

Dr. Leigh Andrew Marsh passed away on Friday, May 31 at the age of 90.  Leigh was born in West Newton on March 4, 1929 to James and Helen Marsh.  From a young age he loved animals and wanted to be a veterinarian.  He achieved this goal by attending Penn State University as a ROTC student and earning a BS (’51) and MS (’56) in Animal Industry; serving in the Air Force as a Lieutenant during the Korean War; and ultimately earning a VMD from the University of Pennsylvania in 1959 to become a doctor of veterinary medicine.  In 1958 he married his beloved wife Sally who supported him in purchasing and growing a successful veterinary practice in North Philadelphia.  Fondly known as ‘Doc,’ he worked there for 55 years until the age of 86.  Leigh and Sally raised two sons and a daughter in the East Falls neighborhood of Philadelphia.  Leigh was a passionate collector of rugs and fine art.  He could talk for hours about the motifs, colors and weaves of a Turkmen rug or the brushstrokes used by a painter from the Bucks County impressionist school.  Leigh was preceded in death by his wife Sally Scheeren Marsh; parents James and Helen; and siblings James, Mae and Grace.  He is survived by his children Jonathan (Barbara) of Albuquerque, NM, James (Laurie) of Poughkeepsie, NY, and Jane (Brian Geoghegan) of Arvada, CO; granddaughters Clara and Annie; his sister Esther; many nieces and nephews; and his cat ‘Slim Cooley.’ A visitation will take place from 6-8 pm Friday June 7 at the J. William McCauley Jr. Funeral Home, 901 Vine St., West Newton, where a funeral service will be held at 11 am Saturday, June 8.  A memorial service and celebration of his life will take place in Philadelphia at a date TBD in the fall.  In lieu of flowers, please send contributions in his memory to the John Almquist Innovation Fund in the College of Agricultural Sciences at Penn State University.  Gifts can be made online at raise.psu.edu or sent to the development office at 240 Ag Administration Building, University Park, PA 16802.  Condolences may be left at http://www.mccauleyfuneralhomes.com

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