Delores Harrison Leihgeber, 86, of Sevierville, Tennessee, died peacefully at her home on July 24, 2026, surrounded by the family she so dearly loved. She departed this life with the same quiet grace that had marked all her years.
Born in Stockton, California, she was the daughter of the late Vernon William Harrison and Clara Deloris (McDaniel) Krider. She spent her early childhood in Baltimore, Maryland, before her family moved to Beaver Falls, Pennsylvania, where she met the love of her life, Elmer Lee Leihgeber. Theirs was a marriage of deep and lasting devotion, spanning fifty-nine years until his death in 2016. Together they built a life of purpose, raising their sons in Florida before settling in the Milligan Grove community of Sevierville in 1982.
A skilled seamstress and cross-stitcher, Delores took great pride in fine needlework, and her patient, careful nature was evident in every piece she made. She was also a gifted cook, who gathered family and neighbors alike at a table defined by comfort and tradition. Her spirit of service extended beyond her home to the local schools, where for many years she volunteered at Sevierville Primary and Sevierville Intermediate, devoting herself quietly to the enrichment of young minds.
Delores was a longtime member of Milligan Grove Baptist Church and an active participant in its women’s ministries, where she found joy in fellowship and service alongside her sisters in faith. Hers was a faith expressed less in words than in constancy — in her steady presence, her unfailing encouragement, and her devotion to her family. She was an unwavering source of strength to her sons, Rick and Jeff, and to Cody Leihgeber, whom she and Elmer welcomed into their home in infancy and raised as their own.
She is survived by a family who will forever cherish her memory:
- Her son, Rick (Barbara) Leihgeber, of Tennessee;
- Her son, Jeff (Ann) Leihgeber, of Tennessee;
- Her grandson, Cody (Tyler) Leihgeber, of the District of Columbia;
- Her grandson, Neil (Amize) Sellers, of California;
- Her granddaughter, Stacy (Billy) Brown, of Tennessee;
- Her sisters, Nancy Scott, of Florida, and Carol Lang, of Michigan;
- Her brother, Vernon Harrison, of Florida;
- And many beloved great-grandchildren, nieces, and nephews.
She also leaves a wide circle of dear friends and church family who found warmth in her gentle smile and her presence among them.
She was preceded in death by her husband, Elmer Lee Leihgeber, and by her parents.