A much-loved teacher who taught at Peel’s Queen Elizabeth II High School and Ramsey Grammar School has died.
Mary Noreen Leah, known as ‘Norrie’, was one of the original teachers who taught at the QEII when it first opened in 1979.
Mrs Leah taught English at the Peel school after moving from Ramsey Grammar when head teacher Robert Forster made the same move to take over the new school.
Norrie was born on March 8, 1925, and came to the island from Manchester.
She married George Roy Leah and the couple had two daughters and one son, several grandchildren and one great-grand son.
Fellow QEII teacher Kate Felton said: ‘She was like my adopted mum. I used to send her Mother’s Day cards and flowers. When I moved from St Ninian’s I was teaching shorthand, typing, commerce, business studies and office practice.
‘When I moved to the QEII I was teaching some English but I’d never taught English. Norrie guided me through the first two terms and we stayed friends for 32 years.
‘She was a brilliant teacher, she was so patient. She was wise, kind, thoughtful, very funny, and had a lovely sense of humour. She always made time for everybody. She was a special lady.’
When Norrie retired from teaching in 1984, she and George lived in Port Erin. After George died Norrie moved to Port St Mary on Beach Road.
At the age of 80 she took up flying lessons and even got her pilot’s licence at Derbyhaven.
Kate said: ‘Norrie was part of a group of us that go for lunch every week, Jean Miller, Pat Skillicorn, Pam Taverner, Norrie and myself.
‘When Norrie was getting a bit frail she moved to Hexham as one of her daughters is a GP there and most of her family are in England.’
After living in a house in Hexham, Norrie eventually moved into a nursing home there. She died with her family beside her.
Her late husband George wrote poetry and composed music. Daughter Noreen read one of her father’s poems at the graveside.
Norrie Leah, who recently passed away
Norrie Leah
‘Special lady’ Norrie made time for everybody
A much-loved teacher who taught at Peel’s Queen Elizabeth II High School and Ramsey Grammar School has died.
Mary Noreen Leah, known as ‘Norrie’, was one of the original teachers who taught at the QEII when it first opened in 1979.
Mrs Leah taught English at the Peel school after moving from Ramsey Grammar when head teacher Robert Forster made the same move to take over the new school.
Norrie was born on March 8, 1925, and came to the island from Manchester.
She married George Roy Leah and the couple had two daughters and one son, several grandchildren and one great-grand son.
Fellow QEII teacher Kate Felton said: ‘She was like my adopted mum. I used to send her Mother’s Day cards and flowers. When I moved from St Ninian’s I was teaching shorthand, typing, commerce, business studies and office practice.
‘When I moved to the QEII I was teaching some English but I’d never taught English. Norrie guided me through the first two terms and we stayed friends for 32 years.
‘She was a brilliant teacher, she was so patient. She was wise, kind, thoughtful, very funny, and had a lovely sense of humour. She always made time for everybody. She was a special lady.’
When Norrie retired from teaching in 1984, she and George lived in Port Erin. After George died Norrie moved to Port St Mary on Beach Road.
At the age of 80 she took up flying lessons and even got her pilot’s licence at Derbyhaven.
Kate said: ‘Norrie was part of a group of us that go for lunch every week, Jean Miller, Pat Skillicorn, Pam Taverner, Norrie and myself.
‘When Norrie was getting a bit frail she moved to Hexham as one of her daughters is a GP there and most of her family are in England.’
After living in a house in Hexham, Norrie eventually moved into a nursing home there. She died with her family beside her.
Her late husband George wrote poetry and composed music. Daughter Noreen read one of her father’s poems at the graveside.