Bill was diagnosed with a particularly vicious strain of leukemia about two years ago. He had gone through months of chemo-therapy and was actually in remission. In an attempt to totally rid his body of the cancer he opted to accept a stem cell transplant in January. Things looked good for awhile, but ultimately the host rejected the intruder and Bill lost the battle.
Meri took care of all the final arrangements for Bill and a small gathering of friends was held last Saturday at the mausoleum in Portland where he is interred. If anyone is so inclined, we invite you to make a donation to the charity of your choice in the name of Bill Leep, or alternatively you may make a donation to the Bill Leep Fund to help cover Bill's past medical expenses. Donations to the Bill Leep Fund may be sent to Meri Haworth at 14377 W. Bayaud Ave., Golden, CO.
Although this is a sad time for all of us, some good did come out of this ordeal. Meri spent nearly 2 months in Oregon assisting Bill with his needs at the hospital. During this time she was the guest of Gary and Elaine Lord of Lake Oswego. Gary was a former next-door neighbor of Meri and Bill's when they were kids. He and Elaine had opened their home to Bill and Jan as Bill was required to stay close to OHSU hospital for treatments. During her stay in Oregon, Meri became very close with both Jan (Bill's fiance) and Elaine Lord. She now feels that she has acquired two wonderful sisters in the process of assisting her brother in his hoped-for recovery. So, as with all things in life, we look to the bright side of this situation even as we bid a sad farewell to Brother Bill.
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