March 28, 2022 –
Leah Louise (Matchie) Zakar “Gagimi”
November 15, 1954 – March 25, 2022
Leah Louise (Matchie) Zakar “Gagimi” age 67 of Valdosta, GA, passed away peacefully
Friday, March 25, 2022. Leah was born on November 15, 1954 in Topeka, KS the daughter of Howard and Melvene Oliver. Leah was a member of the Native American tribe Prairie Band Potawatomi Nation. She met John Henry Zakar, Jr. at Forbes AFB in Topeka, KS. They were married on July 13, 1973 and celebrated over 48 years of marriage devoted to each other. She travelled the world to many Air Force bases with John during his 24 years of service to our nation, enjoyed meeting new people, and seeing and living in many places on the globe. Her favorite thing to do was spending time with family especially her children, her grandchildren, going to garage sales, and she loved the Atlanta Braves. Leah was a devoted wife, mother, grandmother, and great grandmother and a devout Catholic. She was immensely involved as a teacher in the Confraternity of Christian Doctrine (CCD), a catechesis program of the Catholic church for children at St. Elizabeth Ann Seton Parish in Germany and St. Patrick’s Catholic Parish on Moody AFB, Valdosta, GA.
Leah was first and foremost a loving homemaker to her husband John and their 4 children. In the meantime, she spent many years working in South Georgia Medical Center’s Emergency Department as a biller for the emergency room. The ER doctors loved her as she chased them down to sign their charts.
Leah is survived by the love of her life, John of Valdosta, GA; daughter and son-in-law, Michelle Lee & Dean Brown of Valdosta, GA; daughters, Candace Marie Zakar of Valdosta, GA, and Heather Renee Zakar & partner Shan of Valdosta, GA; and son and daughter-in-law, John Henry Zakar III & Deidre Nicole of Ray City, GA; father, Howard Oliver of Topeka, KS; sisters, Audrey Oliver, Debbie McLinn (Phil), Tina White, and Nancy Henry (Roger) of Topeka KS; grandchildren, Autumn, Joseph, Brooklynn, Brayden, Briton, Brenlynn, Erika, Noah, Catherine, Mason, and Dyson; and great grandchildren, Daniel, Esther, David, and Charlie.
Leah was preceded in death by her mother, Melvene Oliver, two special people, Patrick & Nancy Matchie, and her brother, Shaun.
(Courtesy of Carson McLane Funeral Home)