July 9, 1941- March 22, 2017
Leah Anne (Hale) Royal, a longtime resident of both Bishop, California and Carson City, Nevada, passed away peacefully on March 22, 2017. She will be remembered fondly by her loving family and friends, and those who were fortunate to know her.
Leah was welcomed into the world on July 9th, 1941 by parents Gene and Sally, and older brother Alan Hale, in Long Beach, California. In 1945, the family moved to Bishop, California where they purchased the Mt. Tom Motel. Leah grew up and lived in Bishop for 32 years and formed many lifelong friendships. She especially enjoyed her days at Bishop Union High School where she was a cheerleader and was voted “class clown.”
In 1960, she married Jimmie Dale Jones and had two daughters, Jennifer and Denise. Together, they continued to own and operate the Mt. Tom Motel, where her girls were also raised.
In 1973, she married Richard Tobey, and they built the Sizzler on the land that previously ccupied the Mt. Tom Motel. In 1977, they sold the Sizzler in Bishop and moved the family to Carson City, Nevada where they built and opened another Sizzler.
In 1980, Leah met and married the love of her life, Jerry Royal. Together, they ran the Sizzler in Carson City. During these years, she also fulfilled her life-long dream of becoming a Registered Nurse through Truckee Meadows Community College. She was valedictorian of her class. A few years later, she earned her Bachelors degree through Chapman College. She was very proud of the achievements that she and her classmates/friends had attained.
Leah worked as an RN around the Carson City, Gardnerville and Reno areas for many years as both a hospital nurse, at St. Mary’s and Carson Tahoe Hospital, and as a Home Health Nurse for Olsten-Kimberly Home Health, Home Care Plus and Gentiva Home Health. Throughout her career, she formed many friendships with co-workers, patients and their families. She was well loved by everyone who knew her.
Jerry and Leah loved to go to church together and over the years they made many friends within several different church fellowships. They spent time listening to gospel music and loving the Lord together. They enjoyed traveling in their
motor home and spent endless hours talking and laughing together.
Leah was very influential in the lives of her two daughters and it was very important to her that they both become strong, successful women who were happy in their lives. She loved spending time with them and was the best mom a girl could ask for.
Leah loved her family, all of her friends, all of the dogs in her life, being a nurse, the San Francisco Giants, Hawaii, listening to music and playing games like Candy Crush and Words with Friends. She loved to laugh and to make others laugh. She carried out her role as “class clown” until her final day on earth. She loved staying connected with everyone she knew through phone calls and Facebook.
She is survived by her husband Jerry Royal; daughters Jenni Jones and Denise Jones; daughter-in-law Tami Jones; step children Elizabeth Sandoval and Kevin Royal; brother and sister-in-law Alan and Jeannette Hale; numerous grandchildren, nieces and nephews, many cherished friends, dogs and grand-dogs.
A Celebration of Life will be held on Saturday, April 22nd, 2017 in Carson City, Nevada from 1:00 pm to 5:00pm at The Plaza Conference Center, 211 E. 9th Street. A lite lunch will be served. Casual attire or Hawaiian/Aloha wear is encouraged.
