It is with heavy hearts that we announce the passing of LeAnne Jennings, who passed away on March 22, 2026, after a courageous battle with ovarian cancer, surrounded by the love of her family.

LeAnne was born on June 15, 1946, at Wright-Patterson Air Force Base in Dayton, Ohio, to Leon Franklin Churchill and Dorothy Mathews Churchill. As the daughter of Major Leon Churchill, a career Air Force officer, LeAnne spent her early years living in Dayton, Ohio; Bossier City, Louisiana; Tucson, Arizona; and Columbus, Ohio. In the summer of 1956, her father tragically passed away during a military operation in North Africa. Following this loss, her mother returned to her hometown of Abilene, Texas, with LeAnne and her younger brother, Kent.

LeAnne graduated from Cooper High School in 1964 and went on to attend Trinity University, where she was a member of Gamma Chi Delta. She graduated in 1968 with a Bachelor of Arts in Education and a minor in Deaf Education. That same year, she accepted a teaching position at a private school for the deaf in Louisville, Kentucky. After completing the school year, she returned to Texas and began her career with Dallas ISD. From 1969 to 1977, she taught Deaf Education at Stonewall Jackson Elementary, where she made a lasting impact on the lives of her students.

After her marriage to Frank Jennings, LeAnne continued her work with Dallas ISD, focusing on writing and developing elementary curriculum. In 1982, she made a career change that would last for forty-two years, becoming a sales representative for publishers of elementary reading curriculum. In this role, she worked with school districts across North Texas, helping provide materials designed to support struggling readers and English language learners.

Beyond her professional life, LeAnne was a woman defined by her love for others. She had a deep passion for traveling and cherished every opportunity to explore new places. She was a devoted and loving wife to Frank Jennings, and a proud mother to Mathew Jennings, and mother-in-law to Kristen Downey-Jennings. Her greatest joy was being "LeLe" to her beloved grandchildren, Austyn and Trigg, who meant the world to her.

LeAnne was deeply involved in her church community, where she volunteered her time and was on numerous committees. She had a special gift for bringing people together and was known for her warmth, kindness, and generous spirit.

She leaves behind a legacy of love, strength, faith, and compassion. She will be deeply missed by her husband, son, daughter-in-law, grandchildren, extended family, and the many friends and community members whose lives she touched.

A Celebration of Life will be held Saturday, April 4, 2026, 2:00 pm, at First United Methodist Church, Lewisville. There will be a visitation one hour prior to the service. In lieu of flowers, the family asks that donations be made in her honor to support ovarian cancer research or FUMC Lewisville.

Her love and light will live on in the hearts of all who knew her.