Obituary of Lesley Wynn Crosschild

July 22, 1968 – Lethbridge, Alberta
August 19, 2022 – Calgary, Alberta

Lesley Wynn Crosschild, of Calgary, AB, passed away peacefully on Friday, August 19, 2022, at the age of 54 years old. She was surrounded by her immediate family.

 

Lesley was born in Cardston, AB, on July 22, 1968. She was a very smart, independent, kind, compassionate, determined, and educated lady. Lesley received her high school diploma from the Lethbridge Collegiate High School at the age of 17. After her high school years while continuing her education, she raised three children. She received her Bachelor’s Degree in Human Services by age 25 from the University of Great Falls. She also received her secretarial diploma in 1988 in Lethbridge and graduated with her Master’s Degree in Human Services at the age of 29 at the same university.

 

She was one of the founders of the Native Owner Night in Lethbridge, AB, which was started by other members of off reserve residents. She was also a member of the Friendship Centre Society. Lesley worked at many places throughout her life. One of the places that she used to travel to was to Eden Valley as a school assistant. She also worked at Wood’s Homes as a health care aide, Kainai legislation, and a few places in Calgary, AB. She did anything to provide for and to spoil her three children.

 

One of her traits was she was very creative. She used to help design, create, sew, and bead her children’s native outfits for powwows. Even if she wasn’t making outfits, she would be doing crafts. She made wreaths, picture frames, reading, drawing, and displayed her artwork proudly in her home. She loved watching powwows and listening to the drummers.

 

She was also a very proud hockey mom of Leland and Autumn. She would get up early on weekends to get them to their games and bring them to all their practices. She always attended her children’s extracurricular activities and school functions. She enjoyed watching hockey games on TV. Her favorite teams were the San Jose Sharks and the Pittsburgh Penguins. One of her many favorite things to do was attended Kainai Chiefs’ games on weekends with her children when they weren’t traveling.

 

Lesley was often described as a very stylish girl, popular, had the nicest vehicles, and the nicest clothes. She also was described as being a very protective mother once she had her eldest daughter. Lesley always dressed her up, had her own hairstyles, and was very protective and loved spoiling her. She had her son Leland then her daughter Autumn.

 

One of her favorite sayings was “Kitamatsin” meaning don’t say goodbye, it’s I’ll see you later. One talent that she was very good at was playing the guitar, but she was very shy about it. She used to play the guitar when she was at home. She enjoyed learning new songs and it was her own therapy.

 

Lesley will be remembered for her strength, determination, beauty, education, her kindness, and compassion for everybody that was around her. She helped many people when she could, was generous, and never judgmental. She had so many hardships and obstacles in her life, but she never gave up no matter what happened. She always strived to provide for her children and be a good mom.

 

Lesley was a very popular woman and had many friends. She often told stories of when she was in Eden Valley with her cousins Lisa, Andrea, Kevin, Leon, Wanda, Serena, and Ryder. She always talked about the Christmases and the New Years that they had, as well as the times that they would just be hanging out or the mischief that they would get into. Those times were one of her happiest. She spoke about how much she wanted to go back to Eden valley to visit.

 

Lesley and Lisa were reunited in 2015 in Calgary. They were often together, hanging out being crazy, and having the funniest craziest stories. They had many adventures throughout the city and often called each other sisters. When Serena or Wanda was with them, they called each other sister. They really all were like sisters because of how they were together.

 

Lesley was always with her children, Nikki Lee, Leland, and Autumn. She had to move closer to Calgary to be with her daughter and her grandchildren. Her and her oldest grandson had a very close relationship but often teased each other about the word “grand father” was their own special joke. Her only granddaughter had a very special relationship too and they used to spend a lot of time together. They would go to the park, visit at Lesley’s place, go to the movies, and baking was their thing. Lesley loved each of her grandchildren in their own way. Unfortunately, she didn’t get to spend much time with the last three babies because they were born after she had gotten sick in 2019. She called one Vans and the other mommy’s baby. She just met her last grandbaby not long ago and had brought her so much joy to have another baby boy in the family.

 

Lesley was very close to her kids, and they were together wherever they went. No matter where they went, the others were not far behind. She was always there to watch over and protect her children. She always put their needs above her own making sure that nobody hurt them. Even when she was ill, she still put her kids above herself.

 

Within the last three years her brother Trevor moved to Calgary, AB, and joined their little group. They often had Christmases and dinners up at her oldest daughters Nikki’s. They became a whole unit after losing their grandparents and they all came together again. Lesley was also very close to her parents, Tuffy and Alice. She often talked about the old times that they had growing up, traveling, powwows, Henderson Lake, barbecues, or just hanging out. Her and her mother were very close, and she confided in her mother about everything. As she got older, she got very close to her daughters as well. She did everything with her immediate family unless they were away in Eden Valley. Lesley, Autumn, Nikki, and Alice used to sit around for hours talking and laughing, telling stories, and sewing while Leland, Trevor, and Tuffy were outside doing their own thing.

 

Lesley was such a smart, beautiful woman and was always so humble about it. She been put through so much growing in her life, but she never gave up and she showed her children strength, determination, perseverance, kindness, and courage. She was such a great friend and relative to everyone that was around her. Lesley was often described as being fun, caring, and was always telling jokes. She will be lovingly remembered by Alannah bird, Glenda McMaster, Joanne Irene Many Bears, Johanna Many Bears, Cindy White Feathers, Toby Wadsworth, Girly Wadsworth. When she was younger, she would talk about the times that she had at their great-grandparent’s Mark and Eva; how they played with the older cousins, tag or hide and seek.

 

Leslie also enjoyed going for drives and cruising around listening to music. Leslie always had the best taste in music. She got to see many artists throughout her lifetime. She talked about Def Leppard, Guns N’ Roses, Ice Cube, and many others. She also had the nicest vehicles and was always driving around with her babies. She loved animals and had two favorite ones that she always said that she missed were the two dogs Muan and Rusty and her cat Bon Jovi. Leslie is going to be dearly missed. She always made an impact on everyone she had met.

 

Lesley had many close friends, but she was particularly close with Lisa, Serena and Wanda Rider and always referred to them as her sisters.

 

Lesley is survived by her daughter Nikki-Lee (Charlton), son Leland, brother Trevor, Burton O Soop, Rose Parsons, her niece and nephew Brandon and Chanelle Scout, Cheyenne Parson, her grandchildren Jolee, Creedence, Vannen, Zadden and Phoenix. Her adopted daughter Merril Whitebear Paul, adopted grandmother Bonita Long Time Squirrel, adopted sister-in-law Stella Chief Moon, cousins Keevin Rider (Audra), Leon Rider, Johanna Healy, Irene Many Bears, Cindy White Feathers, Sandi White Feather, numerous little cousins, nieces and nephews; Trina Rider, Traci Lee Rider, Kaylee Rider, Kimberly Rider, Darcie Lee Rider, Alyssa Rider, Kiara Rider, William Rider, Tanner Rider, Dakota North Peigan, Garret North Peigan, Fritz North Peigan Jr, Nathan North Peigan, Crystal and Farrah Cross Child, Nicholas Healy, Mark. Healy, Avery Healy, Weston Healy, Dwight Many Bears, Jesse Many Bears, Uncle Teddy Cross Child, and John (Holly) Old Shoes. Lesley is predeceased by her daughter Autumn Levi “Rosalee”, parents Fred “Tuffy” and Alice, auntie Katie (Clifford) Rider, adopted brother Fritz Chief Moon, adopted sister Trixie Chief Moon, cousins, Lisa Rider, Andria Rider, Arielle Healy, Robyn Rider, Serena Rider, and Cindy Old Shoes.

 

The family is truly sorry if any names have been missed.

 

A Private Funeral Service will be held. Condolences, memories, and photos can also be shared and viewed here.

 

In living memory of Lesley Wynn Crosschild, a tree will be planted in the Ann & Sandy Cross Conservation Area by McInnis & Holloway Funeral Homes, Fish Creek, 14441 Bannister Road SE, Calgary, Ab t2x 3j3, Telephone: 403-256-9575.

 

Click Here to View Lesley Crosschild's Memorial Card