We celebrate our dear Leila Simone, the loving, graceful, fun-loving and funny young lady who made a wonderful impression upon those she knew and those she encountered the first time. We are so very grateful to God for the blessed gift of her, holding on tight to the memories of her deep in our hearts. Our loss is so very painful but we do not mourn as those who have no hope - - we have faith that she now lives with God, that she is at peace and that we will see her again.
Leila Simone Washington was born May 11, 2006, in Brooklyn, New York. She was a senior at Stuart Country Day School in Princeton, New Jersey. Leila departed this life on March 29, 2024.
1 John 4:16 states, “So we have come to know and to believe the love that God has for us. God is love, and whoever abides in love abides in God, and God abides in Him.” Leila comes from a warm and loving family, having wonderful relationships not only with her parents, siblings and extended family but also with her friends, classmates, teammates, teachers and co-workers. She was a compassionate, humble old soul in a young person’s body, wise beyond her 17 years, and the most calming, supportive and caring person one could ever hope to meet. She was the epitome of selflessness; if someone ever needed assistance with anything, Leila would go above and beyond to help and not look for anything in return. Leila readily showed her love to others and was deeply loved.
Leila’s intelligence, curious nature and strong work ethic are attributes highlighted in Proverbs 18:15 which reads, “The heart of the discerning acquires knowledge, for the ears of the wise seek it out,” and also in Proverbs 14:23 which proclaims, “All hard work brings a profit, but mere talk leads only to poverty.” She loved learning and embraced mastering new material. Leila excelled at school - - she earned great grades (3.9 GPA!), was accepted to all of the universities to which she applied (being granted early admission to a couple) and was offered scholarship funds. Leila participated in the Black Student Union, The Spirit and Outreach (service) Committee, and other various extracurricular activities. For a time, Leila, a true athlete, played team sports; she was a fiercely competitive basketball player on the Stuart team and on the OB Knight and Team Miller traveling teams. She also played team lacrosse.
Leila loved exercising and swimming. Her other hobbies included drawing, cooking and baking. She baked the best sugar cookies and banana bread and was working on making the perfect almond cake! She also enjoyed traveling - - she always looked forward to her time of traveling with family.
Our beautiful girl operated with integrity and determination throughout her short life, which enabled her success in all she sought to accomplish. We wished that she saw herself as others saw her - - as one with an incredibly loving spirit who was deeply loved and cherished. No one could ask for a better daughter, sister, niece, cousin, friend, teammate, and student. We so love and miss you, Lei!
Leila leaves to cherish her memory, her parents, Kevin and Talana; her sisters, Jalesa and Maya; her grandmother, Ruthie; her aunts, Erica, Robin and Deidra; her uncle Joseph; her cousins, Christopher, Raven, Samantha, Jett, Venus, Joseph, and a host of relatives and friends.
