William Rutland Leffler passed away peacefully in Eureka, California on January 1, 2019, and entered into the everlasting arms of Jesus at the age of 32. Will was born on July 31, 1986 and was raised in Memphis. He graduated from White Station High School and attended the School of the Art Institute of Chicago on an art scholarship. Will lived wherever he had friends. That is, all over the country, including California, New Orleans, Brooklyn, Detroit, Kansas City, Baltimore, Philadelphia and Chicago. Despite his far-flung travels, he brought various friends to meet and enjoy his parents at their rural West Tennessee home.
He adored his brother, Robert Leffler, trusting him as his closest friend and regularly regaling him with hilarious tales of Will's travels. He was honored recently to be Robert's best man at Robert's wedding to Will's sister-in-law, Mallory.
Will's passions were for art, bikes, friends, family and traveling. His preferred mode of transportation was by freight train lugging his bike with him even then. Throughout his travels, he worked a variety of jobs. He poured himself into his friends and he was loved and admired by them.
He became a legendary creator of non-traditional American art, especially loving graffiti and tattoos. He is remembered for his devotion to friends and family, his generosity of spirit, his desire to comfort and minister to the needs of others, his love of the simple pleasures in life and his ability to impart an enthusiasm and enjoyment of these to others. And fishing.
He was able to bring the most unlikely of people together because he believed in the good parts of their character. He was insightful without being prideful. He was a tender gentle giant. He loved to the fullest and lived with an unparalleled zest for life outside of the mores of conventional society but with integrity and courage. A fearfully and wonderfully made boy grew to become a fine man.
He leaves his parents, Lisa and Steve Leffler; his brother and sister-in-law, Robert and Mallory Leffler; his grandfather, Robert Field; his grandmother, Florence Leffler; his aunts and uncles, Mike and Elise Frick and Mark and Debbie Field, and uncle George Leffler. He also leaves a number of cousins, Forrest and Anna Field, William (Aubrea) Dennen and Audria Dennen, He leaves his extended family in Indiana, Laura Dennen, Dave Dennen, David Darling and his great-uncle and aunt, Bud and Joan Field and numerous other cousins.
A memorial Service is scheduled for Saturday, January 19, 2019, at 11 a.m. at Community Bible Church, 601 N. Bellevue Blvd, Memphis, TN 38107. Any memorials should be made to Community Bible Church or Ministry of the Heart, P.O. Box 11954, Memphis, TN 38111.
Published in The Commercial Appeal from Jan. 8 to Jan. 9, 2019