Lukas Gilbert Leigh, 18, died Tuesday, July 2, 2013.
On June 3, 1995, we were blessed with a beautiful baby boy, Lukas Gilbert Leigh. Born to Gilbert Leigh and Sara Noziska, Lukas started life out very active, learning to walk by the time he was 10 months old.
He loved all sports. He started out wrestling his little brother Dalton, and as we all know, Lukas never let Dalton lose a single match. He wrestled for Evergreen and Kalispell wrestling clubs over a period of nine years, winning titles in the Little Guy tournament, folkstyle at state in Great Falls, and freestyle and Greco-Roman in Butte. He played basketball, soccer and football. Lukas could never get enough time on Big Mountain, and loved snowboarding and skiing, but most of all he loved baseball. Baseball was the love of his life and he looked forward to someday bringing it to a higher level. He made lots of friends playing baseball. In January of this year he went to Phoenix and played in a prospect tournament there that was so exciting for him.
He loved swimming and camping, and started out life being fearless. He jumped off of the old steel bridge with his sister Leslie and brother Joseph at age 7, then he climbed up and did it again. He loved to hike to his favorite spot in Montana, Leigh Lake, discovered by John Leigh, his great-great-grandfather. The first time he visited Leigh Lake he was the only one that would jump into that glacier-fed lake, after stripping down to his birthday suit.
He loved babies, and when his nephew Payden was born he was the only one of Payden's uncles that wasn't scared to hold him. Every time he saw Payden, he said with a big smile on his face, "Hey, buddy" and let Payden crawl all over him. He loved his baby sister Dakota, and was so happy when he bought her very first pair of shoes. Lukas loved listening to music and had a reason for each song. There were many songs that reminded him of his dad, especially one he just downloaded, "A Country Boy Can Survive." He had so much love for everyone and he always kept a picture of his mom in his wallet. Lukas' family was so important to him that he would do anything for any of them.
Over the last year and a half, he spent the majority of his time with his sweetheart and the love of his life, Jayla Grilley.
Lukas was always eager to go duck hunting with his grandpa, Mike. One time, at age 17, he was supposed to go hunting with Mike but instead went with friends and shot his first elk. Lukas was a go-getter, and if he wanted to do something, he made sure that he found a way to get it done. He was always wanting to get on a motorcycle or on four-wheelers. He had no fear and would go all out with anything he did. He succeeded and was above average in everything he wanted to do. He loved every time his great-grandparents, Ernie and Wanita, went to his baseball game.
Lukas was about accomplishment, hope, possibility and aspiration; not so much in all things but with the talents he was born with, to give him a good future.
He was preceded in death by his grandfather, Gordon Leigh.
Lukas is survived by his father, Gilbert Leigh; mother, Sarah Noziska; brothers, Dalton Leigh and Joseph Leigh; sisters, Leslie Leigh, Dakota Leigh and Crystal Chapman; aunts, Carol Leigh and Lisa Miller; cousin, Joshua Leigh; grandparents, Dorene Leigh, Mike Noziska and Shelly Drake; great-grandparents, Ernie and Wanita Drake; and many more extended family.
A celebration of life will be held at 1:30 p.m. Monday, July 8, at Lakers Legion Field in Kalispell.
Lukas' ashes will be spread at a later date at Leigh Lake.
To order memorial trees or send flowers to the family in memory of Lukas Leigh, please visit our flower store.
On June 3, 1995, we were blessed with a beautiful baby boy, Lukas Gilbert Leigh. Born to Gilbert Leigh and Sara Noziska, Lukas started life out very active, learning to walk by the time he was 10 months old.
He loved all sports. He started out wrestling his little brother Dalton, and as we all know, Lukas never let Dalton lose a single match. He wrestled for Evergreen and Kalispell wrestling clubs over a period of nine years, winning titles in the Little Guy tournament, folkstyle at state in Great Falls, and freestyle and Greco-Roman in Butte. He played basketball, soccer and football. Lukas could never get enough time on Big Mountain, and loved snowboarding and skiing, but most of all he loved baseball. Baseball was the love of his life and he looked forward to someday bringing it to a higher level. He made lots of friends playing baseball. In January of this year he went to Phoenix and played in a prospect tournament there that was so exciting for him.
He loved swimming and camping, and started out life being fearless. He jumped off of the old steel bridge with his sister Leslie and brother Joseph at age 7, then he climbed up and did it again. He loved to hike to his favorite spot in Montana, Leigh Lake, discovered by John Leigh, his great-great-grandfather. The first time he visited Leigh Lake he was the only one that would jump into that glacier-fed lake, after stripping down to his birthday suit.
He loved babies, and when his nephew Payden was born he was the only one of Payden's uncles that wasn't scared to hold him. Every time he saw Payden, he said with a big smile on his face, "Hey, buddy" and let Payden crawl all over him. He loved his baby sister Dakota, and was so happy when he bought her very first pair of shoes. Lukas loved listening to music and had a reason for each song. There were many songs that reminded him of his dad, especially one he just downloaded, "A Country Boy Can Survive." He had so much love for everyone and he always kept a picture of his mom in his wallet. Lukas' family was so important to him that he would do anything for any of them.
Over the last year and a half, he spent the majority of his time with his sweetheart and the love of his life, Jayla Grilley.
Lukas was always eager to go duck hunting with his grandpa, Mike. One time, at age 17, he was supposed to go hunting with Mike but instead went with friends and shot his first elk. Lukas was a go-getter, and if he wanted to do something, he made sure that he found a way to get it done. He was always wanting to get on a motorcycle or on four-wheelers. He had no fear and would go all out with anything he did. He succeeded and was above average in everything he wanted to do. He loved every time his great-grandparents, Ernie and Wanita, went to his baseball game.
Lukas was about accomplishment, hope, possibility and aspiration; not so much in all things but with the talents he was born with, to give him a good future.
He was preceded in death by his grandfather, Gordon Leigh.
Lukas is survived by his father, Gilbert Leigh; mother, Sarah Noziska; brothers, Dalton Leigh and Joseph Leigh; sisters, Leslie Leigh, Dakota Leigh and Crystal Chapman; aunts, Carol Leigh and Lisa Miller; cousin, Joshua Leigh; grandparents, Dorene Leigh, Mike Noziska and Shelly Drake; great-grandparents, Ernie and Wanita Drake; and many more extended family.
A celebration of life will be held at 1:30 p.m. Monday, July 8, at Lakers Legion Field in Kalispell.
Lukas' ashes will be spread at a later date at Leigh Lake.