Marsha Leigh Stewart, 65, of Lexington Park, Maryland died September 15, 2011, at Georgetown University Hospital after a ten-year battle with cancer. Born October 29, 1945, at Kanawha Valley Hospital in Charleston, West Virginia, to Judge James Lee and Margaret Eloise Thompson; she was the granddaughter of the late Dr. and Mrs. H.A. Erwin; and Major W.E. Thompson, to whom she was very close; all of Hurricane, West Virginia.

Marsha Leigh attended Hurricane Grade and Hurricane High School; graduating in 1964 from the Baldwin School in Bryn Mawr, Pennsylvania. Marsha Leigh was a four-year participating summer camp student of the Interlochen Center for the Arts (formally the National Music Camp), in Interlochen, MI.

Marsha Leigh married David Allen Stewart of Dameron, Maryland, in 1967, at the University of Maryland Chapel. In 1968, she graduated from American University with a degree in English, and he from the University of Maryland with a degree in Electrical Engineering. The couple moved to Hollywood, MD, in 1970, and then to Lexington Park, MD, in 1972.

Marsha Leigh began her teaching career in 1982, working for St. Mary's County Public Schools teaching English for Speakers of Other Languages. In 1984, she began teaching English and reading to grades 5 - 8 at Little Flower School under Principal Sister Francis Inez. Throughout her 26 years at LFS, she held multiple jobs; most notably Assistant Principal and then Principal (2006-2011). As an English, reading, and religion teacher and finally as an administrator, she taught, mentored, and cared for hundreds, if not thousands, of children until the very end. Marsha Leigh loved LFS, working hard every day to improve and strengthen not only the school but others' lives.

Marsha Leigh loved music, playing the organ and piano, gardening, baking, playing tennis, ice skating, watching the LFS Patriots play basketball on Sundays, and simply spending time with her family.

After a second battle with cancer, first with breast and then liver, Marsha Leigh was diagnosed a third time in April 2010 with hot spots on her ribs. After a long and courageous battle, fighting until the end, Marsha Leigh succumbed to the cancer at 11:30 P.M. on September 15, 2011.

She is survived by her husband David Allen Stewart, daughter Margaret Anne, and sons David Lee and Sean Colin, all of Lexington Park; parents Judge James Lee and Margaret Eloise Thompson, of Hurricane, WV; and several cousins, including William "Bill" Thompson and family of WV; Ann McKusic and family, of Ohio; and Jay and Shirley Dameron and family of Dameron, MD.

Family will receive friends for Marsha's Life Celebration on Tuesday, September 20, 2011 from 5:00 p.m. until 8:00 p.m. in in Holy Face Catholic Church, 20476 Point Lookout Road, Great Mills, MD 20634. Prayers will be recited at 7:30 p.m. A Mass of Christian Burial will be celebrated on Wednesday, September 21, 2011 at 10:00 a.m. at Holy Face Church. Interment will follow in the church cemetery.

Serving as pallbearers will be David Lee Stewart, Sean Colin Stewart, Richard Harrell, Mark Beckman, John Pennisi and Matt Bowes.

Memorial contributions may be made to Little Flower School, 20410 Point Lookout Road, Great Mills, MD, 20634.

Arrangements provided by Brinsfield Funeral Home.