Leanne Carol Trebilcock

In 1960, Leanne was voted top-ranking National Honor Society student and was valedictorian of her graduating class. It was the only time in the history of Washington High School in Milwaukee, Wis., for those two things to happen concurrently, and the rules changed after that.

She was a 1964 graduate of Michigan State University, where she was the top sorority graduate and top women’s graduate. While attending college, she was president of Alpha Lambda Delta; Freshman Women’s Honorary; Sophomore Tower Guard Honorary; Senior Mortar Board Honorary; President of Panhellenic Council (a sorority governing body); member of Phi Kappa Phi and Delta Gamma Social Sorority; and served as Rush chairperson. Throughout her life she remained involved with Michigan State University, including in 1999 establishing the “Honors College Award for Distinguished Contributions to Honors Students” which has recognized 26 faculty members since its inception.

After college, Leanne worked as a columnist for the Lapeer County Press, working under former Lapeer County Press editor and late Free Press columnist Jim Fitzgerald. From there she went on to become the owner/publisher of the Manistique Pioneer-Tribune, where she spanned a 20-year career as the only female publisher in the state of Michigan at that time.

She also served in many other capacities while living in Manistique, such as president of the Women’s Club and Schoolcraft Memorial Hospital Auxiliary; advisor to Manistique High School yearbook; Sunday School teacher at Redeemer Presbyterian Church which also named her Mother-of-the-Year; Girl Scout leader; Den Mother; advisor to junior class; athletic director at St. Francis de Sales School; founding member of the Manistique High School Academic Booster Club; first woman member of the Manistique Rotary Club and was a Paul Harris Fellow. She also was active in Cadillac, Mich., where she started a branch of the women’s hospital auxiliary to work with student nurses; and Christian Education Director for the Presbyterian church.

In Delta County, she was the first secretary of the Rapid River Kiwanis Club and a Hixon fellow; later became a member of the Bay Shore Kiwanis CIub; founding member of Rapid River Schools Scholarship Foundation; newsletter editor and member of Bay de Noc Community College Bay Sages; U. P. Director of Mothers Against Drunk Driving; member of Retired and Senior Volunteer Program, including serving in the founding group of the after school program at Jones School; and worked in the nursery, started the after-school program and was newsletter editor at First United Methodist Church of Escanaba.

In the Corunna/Owosso area, she started Funfest — a neighborhood outreach program which grew to 80 children; and served as church newsletter editor and treasurer of the United Methodist Women at the United Methodist Church of Corunna; and was a member of the Corunna Rotary Club. Later Funfest moved to Redeemer Lutheran Church, where 24 children in the program were baptized. Leanne was also a member of the Memorial Hospital Auxiliary and Redeemer Golden Gems; a volunteer at Swords into Plowshares Gallery at Central United Methodist Church in Detroit; was an archivist for the Detroit Annual Conference of the United Methodist Church; and was a board member of the Michigan United Methodist Historical Society; and was a recipient of the Redeemer Award.

She is survived by her children, Elizabeth Ann (Peter Pignanesi) Senger, John Peter (Courtney Robinson) Senger, and Christopher Michael (Susan Duerr) Trebilcock (who opted to use his mother’s maiden name); brother, John Scott (Mary Curran) Trebilcock; three granddaughters, Cora Trebilcock and twins Faith and Hannah Senger; a grandson, Topher Trebilcock; niece and nephew, Julie (Eric) Swager and James Trebilcock; six great-nephews; and one great-niece.

In addition to her parents, she was preceded in death by two grandsons, Joshua and Isaiah Senger.

A memorial service will be held at 11 a.m. on Saturday, March 3, at The Peoples Church of East Lansing, 200 W. Grand River Ave., East Lansing, MI 48823, followed by a fellowship meal at the church.

In lieu of flowers, memorial contributions may be made to the Michigan State Honors College Award for Distinguished Contributions to Honors Students, c/o Tonya Frisbey – Director of Development, Eustace-Cole Hall, 468 E. Circle Drive, Room 105, East Lansing, MI 48824.

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