Mrs. Leona Pearl Doat, 91, of Plano, Texas, formerly of Richfield Springs, NY, passed away on Thursday, April 19, 2018 in Texas. Leona, born on August 22, 1926 in Utica, NY, was the daughter of Henry Jackson Mitchell and Pearl Elizabeth Dobbins Mitchell. She was educated in Utica, graduating high school from St. Francis de Sales. On March 27, 1947 in Utica, she married Leslie Frank Doat, who predeceased her on May 1, 1978. Leona was a long-time resident of Richfield Springs, NY, where she was a volunteer driver, transporting elderly citizens to doctor’s appointments. She attended Richfield Springs Bible Church and was an active member of Stonecroft’s Christian Women’s Club. She continued walking about town running errands into her 90’s. She was well known around town. Leona was pen pals with Olivia deHavilland, the movie star, for over 70 years. She enjoyed telling her daughters that in her late teens she spent a summer working at a mountain resort similar to the one in the movie, Dirty Dancing and that prior to her marriage, she was employed by one of Utica’s bakeries, filling jelly doughnuts. Leona was also a published lyricist and an avid Dodgers fan. She and Leslie spent many weekends at Sylvan Beach Amusement Park where she rode the rides with her four daughters. In their 50’s, she and Leslie ran a business, Lee’s Crafts, making and painting wooden lawn ornaments and then traveling throughout New York State selling them at craft shows and from their home on Canadarago Lake. Surviving are her three daughters, Valerie Rose Cox, Plano, TX; Millie Elizabeth Currey (son-in-law, James Currey) Haines City, FL; and Elizabeth Pearl Hillage, Spanaway, WA. Also surviving are eleven grandchildren, 25 great grandchildren and 17 great-great grandchildren with two more due shortly. Additionally, surviving is her double niece, Suzanne Pisano and her God-son, Joseph Collins. In addition to her husband, Leona was predeceased by a daughter, Olivia Mary Currey and two sons-in-law, Daniel Cox and Robert Hillage. Also, Leona had nine siblings all of whom predeceased her, and her double niece, Jessica Doat Manoiero. Mrs. Doat’s funeral will be held on Thursday, April 26, 2017 at 1:00 p.m. at the Heintz Funeral Home, 1517 Whitesboro St., Utica. Her burial will be in Crown Hill Memorial Park in Kirkland. Calling hours for family and friends are Thursday from 11:00-1:00 prior to the service. In Lieu of flowers, please consider making a donation to the St. Jude Children’s Hospital in Leona’s memory. Envelopes will be available at the funeral home.