Leah Walp

Leah Walp, 85, of North Pate Street, Carlsbad, New Mexico, passed away September 3, 2010 at Carlsbad Medical Center. Cremation has taken place. Family and close friends are invited to a Celebration of Life Service, Sunday, September 19, 2010 at 9:00 AM at Denton-Wood Funeral Home. A private interment will be in Carlsbad Cemetery, Carlsbad, New Mexico. Denton-Wood Funeral Home is in charge of the arrangements. Leah Walp was born August 10, 1925 in McAlester, Oklahoma to Albert C. and Frankie Lee (Stacy) Mathews. As an adult, Leah became a professional singer and traveled the United States with the Woody Herman Band. One stop for Leah and the band was the Elks Lodge in Carlsbad, New Mexico during 1955. Lea was also a singer at the Flamingo Hotel in Las Vegas, Nevada and various other nightclubs up and down the East Coast from Miami to New York. She lived in Las Vegas, Nevada for 35 years and moved to Carlsbad in 1990. Lea was married to Charles Miner Walp, who preceded her in death in 1965. Survivors are her brother, Ronald Mathews and wife Gracie of Carlsbad, NM; sister,Yvonne Ethridge of NY; nieces, nephews and many many friends in both Carlsbad and Las Vegas as well as fellow members of the Zia Quilting Guild. Condolences may be expressed at dentonwood.com.