The Taylor community is still mourning the loss of a teacher who was known for her elegant style, vivid colors and bright sparkles everyday.
Barbara Leschber made a lasting impression on those who worked closely with her as someone who was unique, loyal and dedicated to the Taylor Independent School District.
Leschber, who taught at Taylor High School for 43 years, passed away from cancer Sunday, Aug. 27. Former colleagues remember her as a close friend.
“She had a big voice and expressed her opinion when she needed to,” said Jeannie Hill, who taught in the classroom next to Leschber for decades. “She was kind and greeted everyone and was just a good friend. She stood up for what she felt was right and made no bones about it.”
Leschber taught career preparationrelated classes at Taylor, including business math, computer keyboarding and recordkeeping.
Hill remained friends with Leschber even after retirement, and said she worked hard for the benefit of her students. She often served as the sponsor for academic competitions, where her students performed well in contests at the state and national levels.
She was known to keep up with her students and their successes after graduation.
“She was a true Taylor Duck,” Hill said. “She was dedicated to her job, the people in Taylor and her students. She was a confidant for a lot of them and was there for them.”
Despite retiring from teaching in 2015, Leschber remained actively involved in the school district. She soon joined the Taylor Educational Enrichment Foundation, where she would find ways to fundraise for the local schools.
Serving as the cosecretary for the TEE when she passed, one of Leschber’s most notable contributions for the foundation was leading the silent auctions.
She also participated in the Williamson County Retired Teachers Association. There she helped organize fundraisers for graduating seniors and volunteered to read books to elementary students.
Martha “Moppy” Miller said Leschber’s commitment to the school after retirement shows how ingrained she was into teaching. She said even though Leschber wasn’t reporting to school at 8 a.m. in the morning at that point, she still was giving back whatever way she could.
“If you’re talking to teachers or anyone in education, when we talk about the beginning of the new year, we’re thinking of August or September,” Miller said about Leschber’s dedication to the school. “We’re not thinking of January. It’s just a mindset that becomes part of you.”
Leschber’s family is creating a “Leschber Memorial Scholarship Fund” that will continue her legacy by contributing to graduating seniors in her name.
Miller believes the scholarship story will allow people to share stories of Leschber to one another based on their experience with her as a teacher or coworker.
“It’s like she will be remembered in a million ways because she touched a million lives,” Miller said. “That’s really special.”
Leschber also served as president and director of the Taylor Chamber of Commerce in the late 1990s. She won “Teacher of the Year” in 2010 by the Texas Business and Technology Educators Association.
