Ila Leigh Cobbs

Ila Leigh Cobbs October 13, 1980 - June 22, 2015 Ila Leigh Cobbs passed away Monday, June 22, 2015 in Waco, Texas. Private family graveside services will be under the direction of Wilkirson-Hatch-Bailey Funeral Home with Rev. Stephen Ramsdell officiating. Leigh was born October 13, 1980 in Waco, to Ronald Edward and Linda Ray Cobbs. She was a member of First United Methodist Church of Waco. She attended the public schools in Bosqueville and graduated valedictorian of the Bosqueville High School class of 1999. A National Merit Scholar, Leigh graduated Summa Cum Laude, highest ranking student in the College of Science, at Texas A & M University in College Station in 2003, with a degree in applied mathematics. Rutgers University in New Brunswick, New Jersey, awarded Leigh a teaching fellowship beginning in 2003. She completed her PhD in mathematics at Rutgers in 2009. Leigh was known for her sweet and caring spirit for others. She loved small children and was a Sunday school volunteer with the pre-kindergarten classes during her teens. She loved to cuddle the children of her older cousins when they were born. She loved animals especially cats. Her favorite person was her grandfather, Albert Cobbs, with whom she had a very close relationship. They played dominoes frequently beginning before Leigh started school. "Paw Paw" was chagrined when she became so adept at the game that he had to struggle to beat her. Leigh dedicated her doctoral dissertation to her Paw Paw saying he taught her math by playing dominoes with her. Leigh's desire to serve people led her to choose teaching mathematics. She taught Introductory College Mathematics, Discrete Mathematics, and Calculus from 2009 to 2012 at Lebanon College in Annville, Pennsylvania. Leigh then accepted the opportunity to teach in the AmeriCorps program in Tacoma, Washington. There she was a full-time instructor to at-risk high school students in the Hilltop Scholars Program after-school tutoring program. The goal of the Hilltop Scholars program was to bring up and keep students performing at grade level and encourage them to graduate from area high schools and go on to college. Leigh was very proud of the 17 students who completed their high school diplomas under her instruction in the spring of 2015. Leigh was preceded in death by her father, Ronnie Cobbs; and her grandparents, Albert and Tina Cobbs and Junius and Rebo Ray. She is survived by her mother, Linda Ray Cobbs, of Waco; her uncles and aunts, Darrell and Sheryl Cobbs and Jerry Don and Darlyne Mathis, all of Waco, and J.P. and Dian Ray of Llano. She is also survived by many cousins and friends. Memorials may be made to Caritas of Waco or First United Methodist Church of Waco. The family invites you to leave a message or memory in our "Memorial Guestbook" at www.WHBfamily.com.