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October 11, 2022
A deeper dive into MyFrontPageStory.com
October 12, 2022
When you have a wife who is as cheery, upbeat and loving as LeAnn Stoddard, it is easy to love her and appreciate her.
This is exactly how LeAnn’s husband, Tom, feels about her, as he knows that she is a special woman who always looks at the glass as half full. She has been his best friend for two decades, and she has also made sure that Tom’s three children never feel like they are second best.
“LeAnn is a ray of sunshine,” Tom’s daughter Sarah said. “She is always smiling and energetic and fun to be around. When I think of her, the immediate thought that comes to mind is happiness.”
From the moment LeAnn entered the lives of the Stoddard clan, she has done nothing but love on them. She has always been there for them. She has brought her always optimistic personality with her wherever she goes, and this is something the kids will in turn take with them.
They all look up to her and are grateful to have such a wonderful stepmom in their lives. They are glad that she is also a loving wife to their father.
“LeAnn came in day one with a lot of love to offer,” Tom’s son Paco said. “She was a tremendous help through my school years, always treating us as her own alongside her own children. She provided a lot of stability as I navigated my childhood, always willing to help with schoolwork or other projects. She even helped with my Eagle Scout project by providing hundreds of meatballs for my spaghetti dinner fundraiser. She means a lot to me, as she was always someone I could count on, whether for an actual service that I needed or even just a well-timed ‘I love you.’”
LeAnn’s personality has always been appreciated by the Stoddard brood, as they knew they could count on her in any situation. Day or night, she is going to be there for the people she cares most about, and this selflessness is something that so many people around LeAnn appreciate about her.
Her staff at the Brunswick Forest Imaging Center for Novant Health have also felt that support, as she has advocated for them during recent corporate changes.
LeAnn just has such a well-rounded personality, and her husband speaks highly of such.
“I admire that she seems to know when to not butt in,” Tom said. “She realizes something may be on my mind and is content to just stand by and let the other party – me or another – work it out. She assures she would still be there when once more the issue was past, or the anxiety diffused.”
LeAnn is someone who wants what is best for everyone, and she has learned over the years that this means watching from afar a lot of the time. Yes, she will make sure she is there to help if you really need it, but she knows how to push people to be the best version of themselves without getting too involved, which is something that is appreciated by many.
She is also someone who is going to put her family first in every situation. “Mama Bear” is how she describes herself, and ever since the first of her eight grandchildren were born, LeAnn’s family first mentality has become even more prevalent.
“She observes the kids closely and speaks their language,” Tom’s daughter Darlene said. “She engages them at their level, but treats them like a whole person. And she teaches them new things, like how to make biscuits. And she has whole children’s books memorized!”
It comes as no wonder she has rendered legendary church service in its Primary organization, working with the congregation’s children, relating to each in the room in a like manner.
LeAnn proves time and again how much she cares about her family, and this is something that is more than appreciated by her husband in particular. Tom is glad he gets to be married to a woman who has her priorities straight. It starts with her basic faith, then radiates out from there to those in her home, and beyond.
When it comes to LeAnn, she is also someone who is very lighthearted as well. She has found the formula to living the best life possible, and this is something that is beginning to rub off on her kids, stepkids and grandbabies…along with neighbors, church friends and work staff.
“From LeAnn, I’ve learned not to take life too seriously,” Paco said. “I’ve learned some practical skills, like how to change a tire or check oil levels, but also how to play hand drums on the steering wheel, or how to enjoy a hot cocoa in the morning. With LeAnn, I have greatly widened my range of foods that I like. She’s always trying new recipes, or experimenting with old ones, and I feel like that has influenced me a lot, even expanding my range of foods that I will try.”
Yes, one could say she is a “foodie”, but that serves her as just another avenue to express loving and giving.
LeAnn has a keen ability to be a positive influence on anyone who comes into contact with her, but this is especially true when it comes to her family. She is a great role model to so many people around her, and it is easy to see why so many people love her and are grateful for her.
“I sense a challenge to keep up with her spiritually and emotionally,” Tom said. “She seems to have a sanguine, natural, easy-flowing faith in Jesus… for which I aspire. I feel I let her down if I’m not performing at my best. I am always apologizing to her if some event or moment does not come off as well as I think it should… because I sense she deserves better.”
Tom wants to be the best husband he can be to LeAnn, and he hopes he will be able to prove this for the next 20-plus years of their marriage. She is a God-fearing woman who has the faith to move mountains, and this is something Tom loves about her.
He loves her more than anything, and anyone around Tom and LeAnn knows they are made for each other. They have such complementary personalities, and they don’t know anything but true love for each other.
“I got to ride in a car with Dad and LeAnn for 10 hours recently, and it was fun to listen to them talk,” Darlene said. “LeAnn artfully challenges my dad, but ultimately they just talk like best friends. I think they’re so good together because they can weave both of those elements into their lives pretty seamlessly.”
You want to marry your best friend, and that is exactly what she has become to Tom when he married LeAnn.
She has made such a great impact not just on his life, but on the lives of his children and grandchildren, and for that he will have a never-ending love and fondness for LeAnn.
“Overall, when I think of what she means to me, I just feel grateful… grateful that such an awesome person was able to come into my life, grateful for the many things that she has done to care for all of us and grateful for the wonderful woman that she is,” Sarah said.
There is so much more to be said about this amazing woman, but to sum it all up, LeAnn is cherished, she is treasured, she is admired and she is valued. Everyone who knows her is thankful for her and they feel blessed to know her.
“I would like her to feel that we are so grateful to have her in our lives,” Tom said. “But not just me, as I realize that for my three children, they have grown to love and appreciate all the ways in which she has served them as well. They also are so very grateful to have her in their lives!”
He has been heard to summarize their relationship by referring to her as “My Blessing.” And so it is… for all of them.
