Jarri Leighton

Jarri L. Leighton, age 62, of Madison, South Dakota, passed away Sunday, June 23, 2024, at her home. Memorial Service will be 2:00 p.m., Saturday, June 29, at Ellsworth Funeral Home in Madison. Family inurnment will be at Graceland Cemetery, Madison. Visitation will be one hour preceding the service at the funeral home.

Jarri Leighton was born in Satanta, KS on May 2nd, 1962 to Charles and Wanda (Johnson) Sheffield. Jarri grew up in Madison, SD where she attended Madison High School. After graduating, she married her high school sweetheart, Clay, on August 29th, 1981 at Trinity Lutheran Church in Madison, SD. Shortly after, they moved to Los Angeles, CA where Jarri studied to be a physical therapist and graduated from California State University of Northridge. In 1996 Jarri and Clay moved back to Madison to start a family.

Family was important to her, and she cherished time spent with them. She also loved her dogs, Bailey and Brooklyn. Her favorite times were spent taking long walks at Lake Herman State Park and visiting the Black Hills. Jarri also enjoyed serving her patients as a physical therapist. She administered care to the geriatric population, connecting with each patient, treating them with care and compassion. Jarri was an advocate and a voice for the poor, needy, broken and marginalized. She had a passion for the unborn and believed everyone deserves a chance at life. This led to her favorite part of her career, working with the pediatric population, treating young children and infants.

Books were a large part of her life, as she was an avid reader and learner. She believed in life-long learning and spent her time taking classes that interested her, covering a wide range of subjects. She also spent time writing books and was an author to many. When Jarri wasn’t reading or writing, she was creating beautiful artwork with many different types of media: painting, drawing, sewing, stationery, and interior decorating. Among her many other skills she also sang, played guitar and piano. She always had her Bible by her side and spent time every day doing devotionals and praying. Jarri was a faithful servant to the Lord and led many to Christ, including those who she served on mission trips to Mexico and Nepal.

Jarri, a loving mother and wife, is survived by her husband, Clay; son, Cole (Kyla); daughters, Elsa and Jessica; mother, Wanda Sheffield; sister, Kelli Sheffield. She was preceded in death by her father Charles Sheffield; and brother Todd Sheffield.