Leila Jean Pegany Norris

October 7, 1954 – July 24, 2021

Leila Jean was born on October 7, 1954 in Cleveland, Ohio to joyous parents, Jit and Evelyn Pegany.

We believe she was the first Pegany family member to be born in the United States.

At age nine, the family left the cold snow of Ohio for the warm sunny climate of Arizona. Early in her elementary school years, Leila's high level of intelligence, athleticism, and musical talent became apparent. She was always an honor roll "Straight A" student and had many academic achievements. She also played piano and became a professionally trained singer, touring Europe with various musical groups and later serving on her church worship team and leading worship at a nursing home to cheer others and bring music to their weekly service.

On October 21, 1978, Leila Pegany became Leila Norris when she married Thomas Norris. They later had three healthy children; April, Amber, and Aaron. The entire family enjoyed many outdoor activities such as skiing, hiking, and camping. Their family photos show happy faces on all, whether speeding down the ski slope, toting heavy backpacks hiking, or out on the water cooling off from summer heat!

Professionally, Leila chose teaching as her career and also chose to teach in a faith-based school system, where she felt she could influence young students to follow Christ. She always led the annual student campout, which was memorable for both her and the students, combining her love of outdoors with the opportunity to teach her students about outdoor safety and enjoyment.

Around 2011, Leila learned a growth identified 10 years earlier had turned into a malignant brain tumor. She handled the news as best she could and underwent surgery and radiation treatments. She trusted God to get her through the illness and believed always that He would give her complete healing or the strength to endure whatever she faced. She had about 10 years remission and then her cancer returned and spread quickly. She and Tom moved to Houston in 2021, where she had loving, dedicated care from her Uncle and Doctor, Sukhdev Pegany, MD. Her illness progressed quickly and she was able to be at home with her family and kept comfortable until her last moment on July 24, 2021. Her husband Tom was holding her hand as she passed peacefully from this world and into the hands of our Lord with her mother, father, grandparents, and sister there to welcome her.

We will always remember Leila and miss her, but we are confident in our belief that we will all be with her and our other family members that have passed on when our time here is ended as well. Her life legacy is all that she instilled in her children, students, family, and friends, that remains forever passed down to each generation. Leila is survived by her husband Tom, who never left her side; her sister, Debbi and her husband Harley; brother, Paul and his wife Sharon; her children, daughter April, daughter Amber and her husband Argenis, and son, Aaron and his wife Raschel as well grandchildren Emily, Joshua, Shay, Sianna, Nathan, Elliana, and Audrey and her father-in-law Marvin Norris. She was always quick to share how many grandchildren she had and how many dogs and all of their names! Leila was a unique and special person, outspoken about her beliefs, loyal to those she loved, and hopeful for leaving the world just a little better place than when she got here. We think she accomplished that…

A CELEBRATION OF LIFE WILL BE HELD

AUGUST 26, 2021

AT 12:00PM

WEST HOUSTON SEVENTH DAY ADVENTIST CHURCH

2390 SAM HOUSTON PARKWAY NORTH

HOUSTON, TEXAS 77043