Obituary of Leigh Hay-Martin

Leigh Hay Martin passed away the morning of Saturday August, 17, 2018 at Page Springs Living, a beautiful Hospice in Cornville, AZ after being hospitalized at the Verde Valley Medical Center for a recurrence of breast cancer, which she had been operated on two years earlier.

Leigh was a woman possessed with great artistic talent, being a noted quilter, designer and lover of colors in whatever form and with a great passion for adventure and travel. For 29 years Leigh operated her clothing store on Main St in Jerome, Designs on You, a well known Northern Arizona store noted for quality, design and value. She closed the store after health problems started interfering with her ability to operate the store. With her husband of 32 years, Richard Martin, Leigh took many trips on the Colorado River in the Grand Canyon and other southwestern rivers, where she tuned up her design skills in the beauty of nature. They both loved their extensive travels together to Tahiti and Mexico, where they maintained a condominium in San Carlos, Sonora, a launch point for wonderful trips to Merida - one of the fabric capitols of the world, and to Oaxaca, learning cooking skills, and studying the local art and crafts which date back almost 11,000 years.

Leigh was born May 21, 1953 in Santa Monica, California to Dan and Lynn Hay, later of Rancho Mirage, California. She moved to Jerome to take a job with designer, Ava Gutierrez. It was there she met Richard and they were married in 1987.

She is survived by her mother, Lynn, Sister, Christy of Simi Valley and her brother Dan, of Maine, as well as her husband Richard of Jerome and her stepsons, Sean, Evan, Ian and Adam.

There will be an open Memorial, "She Wore Flowers In Her Hair” Tuesday May 14, 2019 at Spook Hall (aka Lawrence Memorial Hall) in Jerome from 10:30 AM to 1 PM - bring your stories of Leigh and meet family and friends of this amazing woman, friend and wife.

A very special thanks to all the people of Verde Valley Medical Center who worked so hard for Leigh during her illness, keeping her comfortable and welcoming her friends to visit. Your kindness and care was indeed, special. And, thanks to the folks at Page Springs Living who tended to her during the final days, making sure she had a beautiful view to watch. Bueler Funeral Home handled Leigh’s cremation, with kindness and courtesy. Thank you. Many thanks to her special friends, Vicki, Lynn, JoAnn, Sabrina, Jim, Leigh’s sister Christy, our great neighbor Chuck - to all of you who visited - which made her so happy. Sure miss her.