With a heavy heart and halting voice, Pete Farnsworth called me a few minutes ago to say his best friend, his steadfast wife, and Blue Flame Rocket crew member Leah passed away peacefully in her sleep just before dawn Saturday, February 16, 2019. Those who knew her were recall how adept she was at sorting out safety equipment for racers in the Midwest when she and Pete became the FIRST distributor for Deist Safety Equipment. The lady knew the Deist inventory nearly as well as Jim and Miriam making sure every racer who placed an order got what they needed to stay safe at speed. Out on the salt, when the rocket car was running, you would always find her in the timing trailer as a most welcome guest of USAC/FIA official Joe Petrali. She was the FIRST to know the Gary Gabelich had inked a world record, but never let on until Joe personally gave Gary the 622MPH good news out on the track.
Services are pending.
